Michigan Probate Records: Difference between revisions

Michigan Probate Records (view source)

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-=== Record Overview  ===
+Probate records are court records created after an individual’s death that relate to a court’s decisions regarding the distribution of the estate to the heirs or creditors and the care of any dependents. These documents are important to family history researchers because they usually exist for time periods before civil birth and death records were kept. While probate records are one of the most accurate sources of genealogical evidence, they have [[United States Probate Limitations|limitations]].
-Probate encompasses all matters and proceedings pertaining to the administration of estates, whether there is a will (testate) or not (intestate). Various types of records are created throughout the probate process. These may include, wills, bonds, petitions, accounts, inventories, administrations, orders, decrees, and distributions. These documents are extremely valuable to genealogists and should not be neglected. In many instances, they are the only known source of relevant information such as the decedent’s date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their places of residence. They may also include information about adoption or guardianship of minor children and dependents. Probate records may not give an exact death date, but the death most often occurred within a few months of the date of probate. Wills usually mention the names of heirs and frequently specify how those heirs are related. Names of children are given, as well as married names of daughters.
+=== Jurisdictions  ===
-While probate records are one of the most accurate sources of genealogical evidence, they have [[United States Probate Limitations|limitations]].
-=== Jurisdictions ===
 Probate and estate matters in Michigan were recorded by the clerk of the probate court in each county. Probate records were kept beginning in 1817, except in Wayne County, which began keeping probate records in 1797.