How to Find Descendants in the United States: Difference between revisions

'''Wills and probate records.''' Some places have wills or probate records useful to genealogists as early as the 1600s. Wills commonly list children by name. Even if your ancestor did not leave a will, a probate record containing a list of possible heirs may still exist. Wills and probate records are generally kept on a county level, so you will need to have some idea of where your ancestors died to find a will. To see probate records available at the Family History Library, click [http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=localitysearch&columns=*,0,0 here] and follow these steps:

# In the '''Place''' field, type the name of the county where your ancestor resided.

# In the '''Part of''' field, type the name of the state in which the county is located.

# Look for "Probate Records" listed among the record types. Microfilms of the listed records are available in the Family History Library and can be ordered from a local Family History Center.

'''County histories.''' County histories also often identify families and their descendants. Thousands of these histories were compiled and published as part of the U.S. centennial celebration in 1876. Others were published to mark various county centennial anniversaries. Most histories include biographical sketches of county residents, often containing information about the subject’s children, grandchildren, siblings, and ancestors. Because a fee was often required for inclusion in a county history, not all residents participated, but many did.

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