Blog - The Ancestor Hunt

Free Pennsylvania Probate Records and Wills

9/30/2019

Probate records and wills are available online from all over the U.S. and are what I consider another hidden gem of information that can assist you in advancing your family history and genealogy research.

What can you find in these records? How about date of death, spouses and children names, birth order, siblings and siblings spouses, parents names, and residence locations for all named persons. Also, ownership of land and/or other significant property, business names and occupation, military service, guardianships, and adoptions. Basically anything owned by the deceased is typically listed and to whom it is to be assigned to.

I won't pretend to be an expert on the probate process - all I know is that I have discovered an amazing amount of good information from probate records and wills as part of my personal genealogy research.

Here are a few good primers on the benefits of searching probate documents and wills:

Below, listed by state are links to probate records, wills, and indexes available for free online.

Note: Please be aware that if you find a desired will or probate record in an index, that the holder of the actual materials (e.g., (archive, county court, etc.) may charge a small fee to send you a copy of the material itself.

Note: Some of the links listed below take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections' images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital.

(Updated September, 2019; recently added links are in BOLD)

Good Luck and Happy Hunting!

______________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting The Ancestor Hunt!

______________________________________________________

Free Online Divorce Record Collections for the Mid Atlantic States

9/28/2019

Divorce records from all over the U.S are sometimes difficult to find online. They are another hidden gem of information that can assist you in advancing your family history and genealogy research.

What can you find in these records? Obviously the dates and location of the divorce proceeding, the date and location of the marriage, the woman's maiden name, names of minor children, and the reason for the divorce. The reason can not only provide another part of your ancestor's story, but also may lead to more clues, especially in the case of desertion, where you may be able to find the location that the "deserting" party moved to.

WARNING: Some of the information in the Divorce Petitions may be difficult to read. There may be shocking claims, especially related to your ancestors' physical and emotional cruelty, or other behavior. Be prepared.

In most cases, I did not include the links to County Courts, where most divorce records are now processed and the documents held. But these divorce documents for most states are partially held in either state archives or county clerk records. So you may wish to avail yourself of these county clerk an court archives, especially those that can be searched online.

Note: Please be aware that if you find a desired divorce record in an index, that the holder of the actual materials (e.g., archive, county court, etc.) may charge a small fee to send you a copy of the material itself.

Note: Some of the links listed below take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections' images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital.

Below, listed by state are links to divorce records and indexes available for free online.

(Updated September, 2019; recently added links are in BOLD)

Delaware

Delaware Divorce Acts

District of Columbia

(None yet)

Maryland

New Jersey

(None yet)

New York

Pennsylvania

Virginia

West Virginia

For free online divorce records from other states, please visit the Divorce Records page.

Good Luck and Happy Hunting!

______________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting The Ancestor Hunt!

______________________________________________________

Chronicling America Updates - September, 2019

9/28/2019

Source: Library of Congress

Chronicling America, the newspaper collection available for online research of United States historic newspapers, regularly updates their collection.

Here are the updated titles for September, 2019. Some are new titles and some are added to an existing title's pages in the database. There are 41 in total from 8 different states, including Puerto Rico. (Please note that some newspapers may be listed multiple times because they were updated more than once by the Library of Congress during the month).

Arizona

Arkansas

Idaho

Iowa

Mississippi

North Dakota

Updated content for The Fargo forum and daily republican. (Fargo, N.D.)

Puerto Rico

Updated content for Boletín mercantil de Puerto Rico. (San Juan, P.R.)

West Virginia

Good Luck and Happy Hunting!

For more links for these states and others - please see the Newspaper Links page on this website.

______________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting The Ancestor Hunt!

______________________________________________________

FamilySearch New and Updated Collections - September 1-30, 2019

9/28/2019

Source: familysearch.org

FamilySearch continues to add or update their records collections at a fast pace for us to search.

For the period of September 1-30, 2019, the added/updated collections are:

For a complete list of all added/updated collections, go to https://familysearch.org/search/collection/list

I hope that some of these are what you have been waiting for!

______________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting The Ancestor Hunt!

______________________________________________________

Free New York Probate Records and Wills

9/26/2019

Probate records and wills are available online from all over the U.S. and are what I consider another hidden gem of information that can assist you in advancing your family history and genealogy research.

What can you find in these records? How about date of death, spouses and children names, birth order, siblings and siblings spouses, parents names, and residence locations for all named persons. Also, ownership of land and/or other significant property, business names and occupation, military service, guardianships, and adoptions. Basically anything owned by the deceased is typically listed and to whom it is to be assigned to.

I won't pretend to be an expert on the probate process - all I know is that I have discovered an amazing amount of good information from probate records and wills as part of my personal genealogy research.

Here are a few good primers on the benefits of searching probate documents and wills:

Below, listed by state are links to probate records, wills, and indexes available for free online.

Note: Please be aware that if you find a desired will or probate record in an index, that the holder of the actual materials (e.g., (archive, county court, etc.) may charge a small fee to send you a copy of the material itself.

Note: Some of the links listed below take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections' images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital.

(Updated September, 2019; recently added links are in BOLD)

Good Luck and Happy Hunting!

______________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting The Ancestor Hunt!

______________________________________________________

Working

9/26/2019

Adair County Probate Minutes, 1841-1897
Barry County Probate Packets, 1842-1872; Probate Records 1853-1891
Benton County Probate Court Records, 1867-1894
Boone County Abstract of Probate Court Records, 1819-1890
Boone County Probate Court Records, 1872-1886
Boone County Probate Packets, 1819-1853; Abstracts of Probate Packets, 1819-1885
Buchanan County Probate Court Records, 1839-1886
Caldwell County Inventories, appraisements, sale bills 1860-1900
Caldwell County Minute book, Record of Estates 1878-1924
Caldwell County Probate Records 1856-1930; Index to Probate Records, 1856-1896
Callaway County File Index to Probate Court papers, 1800-1900
Cape Girardeau County Miscellaneous Probate Records, 1807-1916; Probate Index, 1816-1918
Cape Girardeau County Probate Records, 1821-1886
Carroll County Probate Court Records 1834-1938
Carroll County Probate Packets, 1845-1885
Chariton County Probate Record, 1861-1887; Index, 1861-1896
Clay County Probate Case Files 1820-1905; Indexes to Probate Case Files, 1820-1994
Clinton County Probate Court Records 1839-1930; Index, 1834-1950
Cole County Probate Court Record, 1834-1889
Cooper County Probate Accounts and Settlement Records, 1855-1886
Cooper County Probate Index, v. A, 1848-1900

Crawford County Probate Records (Crawford County, 1835-1878, 1883-1886
DeKalb County Probate Records (DeKalb County, 1878-1980
Dunklin County Probate Minute books, 1874-1934
Franklin County Estate Records (Franklin County, 1819-1928
Franklin County Probate Case Files (Franklin County, 1823-1955
Franklin County Probate Records (Franklin County, 1868-1928; Index, 1800-1955
Gasconade County Probate Records, 1825-1918
Greene County Probate Records, 1833-1885
Henry County Index to Probate papers, 1857-1973; Index to Recorded instruments
Hickory Country Chancery Minute book of the Probate Court and County Court, vol. A, 1845-1887
Howard County Probate Records, 1821-1887

Jackson County Kansas City & Jackson County, Missouri Wills and administrations, 1820-1952
Jackson County Kansas City, Missouri & Jackson County, Missouri Probate Records and Case Files, 1853-1955
Jefferson County Probate Records, 1822-1933; Index, 1869-1945
Johnson County Probate Records and Wills, vols, A-C, 1846-1868
Lafayette County Probate Records, 1821-1946; general Index to Probate Records,1821-1897
Lincoln County Probate Records, 1820-1902
Linn County Probate Case Files, 1853-1925
Madison County Probate Records, 1821-1948, Index, 1821-1886
Marion County Probate Court Record, 1853-1888
Marion County Probate Records, 1828-1887

Mercer County Index to Probate Files
Miller County Probate Record, 1865-1889
Mississippi County Probate Record, 1845-1889
Moniteau County Probate Estate Files, ca. 1845-1927
New Madrid County Probate Packets, 1800- early 1900's : Index to papers Filed, 1807-1940
Newton County Probate Case Files, 1864-1933
Oregon County Probate Records and Indexes, 1854-1938
Pemiscot County Probate Record, vol. 1, 1882-1897
Perry County Probate Records, 1821-1976
Pike County Probate Court Record, 1851-1886 : Index, 1851-1871
Pike County Probate Record, 1825-1916
Platte County Court Record, 1839-1887; Probate Docket, 1894-1901
Ralls County Probate Docket, 1869-1887

Ralls County Probate Records, 1821-1889
Randolph County Probate Case Files, 1886-1900
Randolph County Probate Court Record, v. 1, 1885-1890, at Moberly
Randolph County Probate Record, 1829-1888
Randolph County Probate Records at Moberly, 1885-1926; Index, 1877-1914
Ripley County Probate Records and Minutes, 1856-1900; Index to Probate Records, 1882- 1940
Saline County Probate Records, 1821-1903
St. Charles County Probate Records, 1805-1917
St. Louis City Probate Case Files, 1876-1901
St. Louis County Probate Case Files, 1802-1876

Ste. Genevieve County Probate Records, 1806-1941; Indexes, 1807-1926 1807-1917
Ste. Genevieve County Probate Records, 1828-1886
Texas County Index to Probate Records, v. 1, 1870-1931
Webster County Probate Record, 1856-1863, 1867-1886
Andrew and Cole County Probate Records, 1826-1945
Andrew County, Probate Records, 1840-1869
Buchanan County, Missouri Abstracts of Wills and administrations from books "A" and "B", 1839-1857
Clay County, Missouri list of churches, schools, graveyard and cemetery locations, unRecorded plats; Index to Wills, Index to plats, ca. 1873-1887

Clay County, Missouri Probate Records Recorded in Clay County Court, 1822-1896; Indexes, 1868-1896
Clay County, Missouri Probate Records, 1822-1859, 1871-1927; Indexes ca. 1859-1897
Clay County, Missouri Wills, executions, administrations, guardianship Records, bonds, letters, Settlements, Dockets, applications, 1824-1950
Clinton County, Probate Records, 1833-1935; Index, 1846-1950
Cole County, Probate Case Files, 1824-1930
Harrison County, Missouri Index to Records & bonds [actually inventories & appraisements, bk. A], 1858-1865, &, [Abstracts of] Wills [bonds & letters, vols. B-C], 1860-1880, 1859-1879
Independence & Jackson County, Missouri Probate Case Files, 1828-1900; Indexes, 1828-1900
Independence & Jackson County, Missouri Probate Records, ca. 1855-1924; Indexes, 1829-1933
Independence & Jackson County, Missouri Wills and administrations, ca. 1828-1955

Index to Probate Records [before 1850] Johnson County, Missouri.
Johnson County, Missouri Probate Court Records, 1855-1869
Macon County, marriage and Probate Records, 1873-1975
McDonald County, Missouri Indexes, A-C, to Probate Court Records, 1887-[1950s?]
Missouri Probate Records, 1750-1998
Polk County, Probate and marriage Records, 1855-1997
Probate Court Records - Jackson County, Missouri : [Patton]
Probate Records of Green Co., 1834-1871

Probate Records of Livingston County, Missouri
Ray County, Minute book
Ray County, Probate Records, 1821-1915; general Index to Probate Records, 1823- 1922
St. Louis County, Missouri guardianship Case Files, 1825-1900
Stone County, Probate Records, ca. 1857-1968
Volume II, Probate Court Records of Greene County, from 6 February 1837 to 15 December 1838 : as Recorded in volume A of Probate Court Records in the Greene County Court house, Springfield, Missouri
Washington County, marriage and various Probate Records, ca. 1814-1991
Worth County, Missouri Probate Index [1861-1911]

Why You Should Be Visiting The Ancestor Hunt Regularly

9/25/2019

For about 5 and a half years (since February,2014), I have been researching and making available to visitors and readers, links to free online collections from various genealogy record categories.

I started with historical newspapers, and added photo archives, BMD records, and obituary and obituary index collections a couple of years later.

In the past year, I have added school yearbooks, voter lists, and most recently coroner records; all links to free collections, and available online.

I am currently working on Probate and Wills, and Divorce Records. After completing these categories, I will be updating Newspapers and Photos, and then will tackle Naturalizations.

Below is a one minute video to remind you of all the different research categories. They can be accessed on this site by either the horizontal menu bar near the top of the page, or via the buttons in the right sidebar.

Thanks to all my frequent visitors and readers

______________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting The Ancestor Hunt!

______________________________________________________

Free Online Divorce Record Collections for the Southern States

9/24/2019

Divorce records from all over the U.S are sometimes difficult to find online. They are another hidden gem of information that can assist you in advancing your family history and genealogy research.

What can you find in these records? Obviously the dates and location of the divorce proceeding, the date and location of the marriage, the woman's maiden name, names of minor children, and the reason for the divorce. The reason can not only provide another part of your ancestor's story, but also may lead to more clues, especially in the case of desertion, where you may be able to find the location that the "deserting" party moved to.

WARNING: Some of the information in the Divorce Petitions may be difficult to read. There may be shocking claims, especially related to your ancestors' physical and emotional cruelty, or other behavior. Be prepared.

In most cases, I did not include the links to County Courts, where most divorce records are now processed and the documents held. But these divorce documents for most states are partially held in either state archives or county clerk records. So you may wish to avail yourself of these county clerk an court archives, especially those that can be searched online.

Note: Please be aware that if you find a desired divorce record in an index, that the holder of the actual materials (e.g., archive, county court, etc.) may charge a small fee to send you a copy of the material itself.

Note: Some of the links listed below take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections' images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital.

Below, listed by state are links to divorce records and indexes available for free online.

(Updated September, 2019; recently added links are in BOLD)

Alabama

Arkansas

Florida

Georgia

Kentucky

Louisiana

Mississippi

Missouri

North Carolina

Oklahoma

South Carolina

(None yet)

Tennessee

Texas

Virginia

West Virginia

For free online divorce records from other states, please visit the Divorce Records page.

Good Luck and Happy Hunting!

______________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting The Ancestor Hunt!

______________________________________________________

Free District of Columbia Probate Records and Wills

9/21/2019

Probate records and wills are available online from all over the U.S. and are what I consider another hidden gem of information that can assist you in advancing your family history and genealogy research.

What can you find in these records? How about date of death, spouses and children names, birth order, siblings and siblings spouses, parents names, and residence locations for all named persons. Also, ownership of land and/or other significant property, business names and occupation, military service, guardianships, and adoptions. Basically anything owned by the deceased is typically listed and to whom it is to be assigned to.

I won't pretend to be an expert on the probate process - all I know is that I have discovered an amazing amount of good information from probate records and wills as part of my personal genealogy research.

Here are a few good primers on the benefits of searching probate documents and wills:

Below, listed by state are links to probate records, wills, and indexes available for free online.

Note: Please be aware that if you find a desired will or probate record in an index, that the holder of the actual materials (e.g., (archive, county court, etc.) may charge a small fee to send you a copy of the material itself.

Note: Some of the links listed below take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections' images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital.

(Updated September, 2019; recently added links are in BOLD)

Good Luck and Happy Hunting!

______________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting The Ancestor Hunt!

______________________________________________________

Free North Dakota Probate Records and Wills

9/20/2019

Probate records and wills are available online from all over the U.S. and are what I consider another hidden gem of information that can assist you in advancing your family history and genealogy research.

What can you find in these records? How about date of death, spouses and children names, birth order, siblings and siblings spouses, parents names, and residence locations for all named persons. Also, ownership of land and/or other significant property, business names and occupation, military service, guardianships, and adoptions. Basically anything owned by the deceased is typically listed and to whom it is to be assigned to.

I won't pretend to be an expert on the probate process - all I know is that I have discovered an amazing amount of good information from probate records and wills as part of my personal genealogy research.

Here are a few good primers on the benefits of searching probate documents and wills:

Below, listed by state are links to probate records, wills, and indexes available for free online.

Note: Please be aware that if you find a desired will or probate record in an index, that the holder of the actual materials (e.g., (archive, county court, etc.) may charge a small fee to send you a copy of the material itself.

Note: Some of the links listed below take you to a FamilySearch Collection of digital images. Near the bottom of the page under Film/Digital Notes is the name of each sub-collection. If there is a camera icon at the right of the name (in the Format column) then the collections' images are browsable. If there is a camera with a key icon, it is only available at a Family History Center or affiliated library. If there is a film reel icon, then it is only available in microfilm format, not digital.

(Updated September, 2019; recently added links are in BOLD)

Good Luck and Happy Hunting!

______________________________________________________

Thank you for visiting The Ancestor Hunt!

______________________________________________________

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