Maine Probate Records: Difference between revisions

Probate is the “court procedure by which a will is proved to be valid or invalid” and encompasses “all matters and proceedings pertaining to the administration of estates, guardianships, etc.”<ref>Henry Campbell Black, ''Black's Law Dictionary,'' 5th ed. (St. Paul, Minnesota: West Publishing Co., 1979), 1081, "probate."</ref> 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. For further information about&nbsp;the probate process,&nbsp;types of probate records,&nbsp;analyzing probate records, and to access a glossary of probate terms, see [https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/United_States_Probate_Records United States Probate Records].  

*The [http://www.mainehistory.org/ Maine Historical Society]. To search their online library catalog click [http://www.mainehistory.org/library_search.shtml Here].

*Frost, John E. ''Maine Probate Abstracts.''&nbsp;2 volumes. Camden, Maine: Picton Press, 1991. ({{FHL|974.1 P2f}}.); the 1986-88 edition is on ten fiche beginning with ({{FHL|6332995}}.); The&nbsp;abstracts are of various types of records found in the probate courts of Maine, such as wills, administrations, estate divisions, estate accounts, guardianships, and&nbsp;other court actions. The abstracts are compiled into two volumes: Volume 1&nbsp;&nbsp;(1687-1775) and&nbsp;Volume 2 (1775-1800). Volume 2 contains an every name index. Microfiche copies are also available at the [http://www.mainehistory.org/library_overview.shtml Maine Historical Library] and the [http://www.americanancestors.org/ New England Historic Genealogical Society].