12 April 2014

Is There More Than Just a Will?

Early in my research, I quit when I found an ancestor's will. That was a big mistake. There can be accountings, inventories, petitions, and a variety of records that were created in the settlement of an ancestor's estate.

Don't stop when you've found the will. That may be just the tip of the iceberg.

2 comments:

  1. Don't forget to look at deed records -- they often spell out relationships, etc. When the heirs sell land; lease minerals or give right of way for the county road you may find names of the children and their spouses along with their addresses.

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  2. I had a 3rd great grandfather who settled in Adams Co, ILL in the 1830s, was on every census after that in Adams Co and he and his wife are both buried in the same cemetery in Adams County. So figured that was where he died. Until--I got his probate and there was the bill for transporting his corpse from Vernon Co, MO back to Adams Co, ILL.

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