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Oxfordshire Probate Records: Difference between revisions
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== Getting Started == | == Getting Started == | ||
''Probate'' is the legal court process by which the estate of a deceased person is distributed to his or her heirs. Probate records include [[W genealogical glossary terms|wills]] and [[A genealogical glossary terms|administrations]]. This article is about probate records in | ''Probate'' is the legal court process by which the estate of a deceased person is distributed to his or her heirs. Probate records include [[W genealogical glossary terms|wills]] and [[A genealogical glossary terms|administrations]]. This article is about probate records in Oxfordshire. For a general description of England probate records, click [[England Probate Records|here]]. | ||
=== 1858 to the Present === | === 1858 to the Present === | ||
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=== Before 1858 === | === Before 1858 === | ||
Before 1858, Church of England ecclesiastical courts had authority for this process. To search for a pre-1858 probate record in | Before 1858, Church of England ecclesiastical courts had authority for this process. To search for a pre-1858 probate record in Oxfordshire, follow these steps: | ||
==== Step 1. Search Indexes ==== | ==== Step 1. Search Indexes ==== | ||
Here are some online indexes to probate records that include individuals who lived in | Here are some online indexes to probate records that include individuals who lived in Oxfordshire. Search these indexes first: | ||
*[http://users.ox.ac.uk/%7Emalcolm/genuki/big/eng/OXF/probate/1550-90.txt| Index of Probate Inventories, Oxfordshire 1550-1590] -- three files, based on an original document "Household And Farm Inventories In Oxfordshire, 1550-1590" published by the Historical Manuscript Society (1994.) | *[http://users.ox.ac.uk/%7Emalcolm/genuki/big/eng/OXF/probate/1550-90.txt| Index of Probate Inventories, Oxfordshire 1550-1590] -- three files, based on an original document "Household And Farm Inventories In Oxfordshire, 1550-1590" published by the Historical Manuscript Society (1994.) | ||
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==== Step 3. Identify court jurisdictions by parish ==== | ==== Step 3. Identify court jurisdictions by parish ==== | ||
Once you have identified the parish where your ancestor lived or died, learn which courts had jurisdiction over it then search indexes for those courts. Every town and parish in | Once you have identified the parish where your ancestor lived or died, learn which courts had jurisdiction over it then search indexes for those courts. Every town and parish in Oxfordshire fell under the probate jurisdiction of a primary court and several secondary courts. Click on a link below for the letter the parish begins with. | ||
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==== Step 4. Obtain a copy of the probate record ==== | ==== Step 4. Obtain a copy of the probate record ==== | ||
Once you have found an index reference to a probate, obtain a copy of the record. Do so by one of these methods: | Once you have found an index reference to a probate, obtain a copy of the record. Do so by one of these methods: | ||
*Visit or contact the record office that has the original records in its collection. | *Visit or contact the record office that has the original records in its collection. | ||
*Visit the [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/FHL/frameset_library.asp Family History Library] or a [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/FHC/frameset_fhc.asp family history center] and obtain a copy of the record on microfilm. For more information, click on a court name below. <br> | *Visit the [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/FHL/frameset_library.asp Family History Library] or a [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/FHC/frameset_fhc.asp family history center] and obtain a copy of the record on microfilm. For more information, click on a court name below. <br> | ||