Our Historical Society library is closed for renovations until probably mid November, so all I can help you with from my home/office are census records, which you've doubtless already consulted, and also land records.

A Robert Grimes is listed in the Bladensburg district in the 1820 census - he is aged between 26 and 45, and has two boys, one under 10 years, the other between 10 and 16. There is also a woman between 26 and 45, presumably his wife, and three little girls under 10, and one between 10 and 16. All are free and white. He has no slaves. Curiously, no-one in his household is listed as active in agriculture, commerce or manufacturing - that's very hard to figure!

We have more specifics in the 1850 census - Robert Grimes is 73 years old, and listed as a laborer. His wife Prisella (sic) is 56. (These ages fit nicely in with the age groups in the 1820 census.) The younger generation includes Ann (28), Priscilla (26), George (24, which would make him born circa 1826, listed as laborer), John (31, listed as laborer), John, Jr., (11), Matilda (16) and another George (3). By the order of recording, I can tell that they did not live in the town of Bladensburg proper, but rather to the south not far from the boundary with the District of Columbia.

Do you know whether the family owned land? I very briefly checked the land records, and found no legal deeds at all for any land conveyed to a Robert Grimes up to 1840, so my guess is that the Grimes family was a tenant family.

I've also checked all newspaper entries throughout the 19th century (we have them in published form) - there are lots of Grimes, but none of the family names that I've noted above, which may indicate, as you suggest, that the younger generation left the area.

I'm afraid that is all I can help you with now - send another inquiry early in November, and if I think of anything else that I can check when our library opens, I will do so. In the meantime, you can check with the Prince George's County Genealogical Society at - pgcgs@juno.com

Good luck with your search!

Susan G. Pearl, Historian
Prince George's County Historical Society

--Previous Message--
: I received today word that my 3rd great
: grandfather/mother may be Robert Grimes and
: Prissella Grimes of Prince Georges County,
: MD. His son, George W. Grimes, migrated to
: Texas in the 1830's or so. He was born about
: July 4, 1822 possibly in Prince George
: County MD. Do you have any information about
: this family perhaps in the Bladensburg area?
: