Look When You Do Not Expect It

Siblings Abraham and Elizabeth Chaney moved to Coshocton County, Ohio, as young adults in the mid-1820s from Pennsylania. They left for Illinois in the 1840s where they eventually died. While paging through the estate index for another family member, I noticed an index entry for Abraham Chaney. He was listed in the index because he had been appointed guardian for a child--a child that ended up being an unknown nephew of Abraham and Elizabeth.

Lesson: Even if you know your relative did not die in the area, consider looking up their name in the estate index--on the off chance that the names of guardians are indexed along with the deceased people whose estates are being settled.