This work is the first in a series of books about Maryland families. It concentrates primarily on the descendants of Joseph Fry of Maryland (1656-1694) in Maryland and North Carolina, and includes records of other members of Fry and allied families of Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina. The book first discusses some early arrivals of the Fry family in Maryland, with emphasis on Prince George's County, which was the parent county of both Frederick and Montgomery Counties, where members of the family are found to the present day. Next the book deal with the immigrant Joseph (the progenitor of those Frys who had connections to the Hurley family) and his descendants. Finally, the book covers the various Fry families of North Carolina and elsewhere. An every-name index list about 5,000 names.