If an ancestor is referenced as dying intestate, it means that he or she died without leaving a will that was admitted to probate. In these cases, an administrator is usually appointed to oversee the settlement of the estate.
There may be a will filed with your ancestor's estate papers. Sometimes wills that are denied admission to probate are a part of the estate record. They can be just as informative as wills that are admitted to probate.
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I've found that intestate probate records are sometimes more informative than a will. Usually all of the potential heirs are listed while a will may list the names of two or three children. I found a will where the testator left money to two of his children, whom he named, in lieu of the 40 acres of land he gave to each of the others. He did not bother to name them. Only by searching deed records, was I able to determine who they were.
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