Only children with no descendants can leave interest estate settlements, especially if they die with enough property to require probate and neglect to leave a valid will. Their property typically will be distributed to their first cousins, or depending upon the family structure, even more distant relatives. The records of that estate settlement could be a gold mine. Do you have a cousin who died in this situation? It may be worth your time to search for their estate records
If you are the one who has to settle an estate of that type, hopefully you won't have one person who makes it their business to protest and drag in 2nd and 3rd cousins who knew absolutely nothing about the deceased. It can cause much discord and heartache for the person who by default had to take charge of settling the estate.
ReplyDeleteWe had that happen and it took years to finally get it settled and my husband's brother still will not speak to him.