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''[[United States|United States ]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]]  [[Vermont|Vermont ]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]]  [[Vermont_Probate_Records|Probate Records]]''
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== History  ==
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==Online Resources==
Probate records of [[Vermont|Vermont]] are kept by probate courts. The records include wills, inventories, estates, guardianships, name changes, adoptions, and relinquishments. There are 14 counties and 18 probate districts in Vermont. The four southern counties (Bennington, Rutland, Windham, and Windsor) have two probate courts each. You can obtain copies of the records by contacting the clerk of the appropriate probate district.  
*'''1749-1999''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/9084/ Vermont, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1749-1999] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
* '''1800-1921''' {{RecordSearch|1435692|Vermont Probate Files, 1800-1921}} at FamilySearch - [[Vermont Probate Files - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index & images
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/full-text Full-Text Search - Probate Records] at FamilySearch - index & images; dates, records, and places vary; [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P00oMDsAsSw How to Search]


===Record Synopsis===
Adoption cases over 99 years old are open to the public.


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> Genealogists often refer to 'Probate Records' as "All records which relate to the disposition of an estate," whether the person died leaving a will (testate) or not (intestate).<ref>Val. D. Greenwood, ''The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy,'' 3rd ed. (Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2000), 309.</ref>
== Record Synopsis  ==


Various types of records may be found in probate files. These may include, wills, guardianships, bonds, petitions, accounts, inventories, administrations, orders, depositions, 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 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 name="null">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 probate records and the probate process see&nbsp;[https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/United_States_Probate_Records United States Probate Records].


For further information about the probate process, types of probate records, analyzing probate records, and to access a glossary of probate terms, see [[United States Probate Records]].
== Major Repositories  ==
*See also Ann D. Watson '' Vermont Probate Research'' NGS Magazine 48 #2 (April-June, 2022): 46- FS Library 973 D25ngs v40 no. 2


===History===
==== Local  ====


A general knowledge of Vermont history is essential to understanding Vermont probate records because that helps us know where the records were kept at various times. The territory we now recognize as Vermont was first inhabited by Europeans during the mid 1600s. The 1666 establishment of Fort Sainte Anne on the Isle La Motte is considered to be the first permanent European settlement. Non-French settlers began exploring and inhabiting the Vermont region towards the end of the 17th century. The first British settlement, Fort Dummer, was built in 1724. Before long, conflict over the frontier region erupted between the two nations. As a result of France’s defeat in the French and Indian War, Britain gained control over the entire region. Only a few European people settled in Vermont before 1724.<br>
*Vermont Courthouses. For current address and telephone information for Vermont probate district courts, visit the "Vermont Probate Court" page at http://www.vermontjudiciary.org/GTC/probate/default.aspx.


Disputes over the newly acquired region soon developed amongst the British colonies. Massachusetts, New Hampshire and New York all asserted claim to parts of the territory. In 1740, King George II established the modern day boundary between Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The border, however, between New York and New Hampshire remained relatively undefined for some time. From 1749 to 1763 New Hampshire issued a series of land grants for 129 towns in the region. The majority of property was located in areas lying west of the Green Mountains (or New York side). A ruling in 1764 by King George III set the boundary line between New York and New Hampshire as the Connecticut River (or the modern day boundary between Vermont and New Hampshire). Land previously granted by New Hampshire&nbsp;fell under the jurisdiction of New York. When New York failed to recognize the New Hampshire grants the colonists became infuriated. Settlers of the New Hampshire Grants formed an informal militia, known as the Green Mountain Boys, to prevent New York officials from exercising their authority. Consequently, a period of strife ensued.
*General Services and Records Center


Representatives of the New Hampshire Grants eventually remedied the situation in 1777 by declaring themselves an independent republic. Initially, the state was known as New Connecticut, but later the name Vermont was adopted. Following the Revolutionary War and the ratification of the Constitution, Vermont was admitted as the 14th state in the union on 14 March 1791.
==== Regional  ====


'''Pre-1777. '''Researchers looking for probate records prior to Vermont’s independence in 1777 are encouraged to check the records of New York or New Hampshire. There are no known probate records in Vermont prior to independence.  
*The [https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/New_England_Historic_Genealogical_Society New England Historic Genealogical Society] located in the heart of downtown Boston, Massachusetts has pre-1850 Vermont probate records available on microfilm.


'''Since 1777''', Vermont probate records have been kept by probate district courts. Unlike Vermont county courts which have jurisdiction over the entire county, early Vermont probate districts were confined to a specific geographical area within the county. As a result, counties were comprised of multiple probate districts. Initially the number of probate districts per county was set by Vermont legislators at four.<ref name="null">Walter H. Crockett, editor, ''Journals and Proceedings of the General Assembly of the State of Vermont''; vol. 3, part 1 of ''State Papers of Vermont'' (Bellows Falls, Vermont: P. H. Gobie Press, Inc., 1924), 8.</ref>
==== National  ====


'''1779.''' When representatives met in general assembly in February 1779 they created three probate districts in Bennington County (Bennington, Manchester, and Rutland), and four in Cumberland County (Guilford, Rockingham, Windsor, and Barnet).<ref>Allen Soule, editor, ''Laws of Vermont, 1777-1780''; vol. 12 of ''State Papers of Vermont'' (Montpelier, Vermont: Vermont Printing Company, 1964), 85-86.</ref>
*The [https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Family_History_Library Family History Library]&nbsp;located in Salt Lake City, Utah has pre-1850 Vermont probate records available on microfilm.&nbsp;For collection details see the [http://fsbeta.familysearch.org/#form=catalog Family History Library Catalog].&nbsp;Use the "Place Search" option to search for a specific Vermont county. Then look for the topics labeled "Probate Records" or "Guardianship."


'''1781.''' Before long Vermont’s population necessitated the creation of additional counties. In 1781 Cumberland County was abolished and the counties of Windsor, Windham, and Orange were formed. Rutland County was also formed from the northern portion of Bennington County. As a result of the reconfiguration, the number of probate districts per county decreased. Each Vermont county was divided into two probate districts, with the exception of Rutland, which was established with one. Since that time, all Vermont counties have been comprised of either one or two probate districts.<ref>John A. Williams, editor, ''Laws of Vermont, 1781-1784''; vol. 13 of ''State Papers of Vermont'' (Barre, Vermont: Modern Printing Company, 1965), 12-13.</ref>
== Statewide Record Collections  ==


'''Today''' Vermont has 14 counties and 18 probate districts. The four southern counties (Bennington, Rutland, Windham, and Windsor) still have two probate courts each. The remaining counties&nbsp;each have one probate district who's jurisdiction is confined to the current county boundaries.<br>
*[http://fsbeta.familysearch.org/s/collection/show?uri=http://10.196.119.193:8080/wcds/container/externalId/org.familysearch.easy.collection_id/1435692&hash=CSB08BJEVp3HiD7RDnwEv5b5k0I%253D "Vermont Probate Files, 1791-1919,"] database, FamilySearch; (http://familysearch.org), from County Probate Courts in Vermont. Digital images of originals housed in the County Probate Courts in Vermont. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah; Contains index and images of probate estate files. Currently only the counties of Chittenden and Essex are available. Additional counties will be added later.


===State Statutes===
== Resources  ==


Vermont probate courts are responsible for wills, inventories, estates, guardianships, name changes, adoptions, and relinquishments.  
*Bartley, Scott Andrew. "A Guide to Genealogical Research in Vermont." ''New England Ancestors,'' Summer 2007.


Adoption cases over 99 years old are open to the public. <br>
*Bartley, Scott Andrew. "Vermont Probate Records." [Online Article]. AmericanAncestors.org. 11 April 2003. http://www.americanancestors.org/vermont-probate-records/: 2010. Available only to members&nbsp;of&nbsp;American Ancestors.


===Repositories===
*Eichholz, Alice. ''Collecting Vermont Ancestors.'' Montpelier, Vermont: New Trails, 1986.


====Local====
*Melnyk, Marcia D. ''Genealogist's Handbook for New England Research'', 4th ed. Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1999; Contains addresses of the Vermont probate district courts.


*[http://www.vermontjudiciary.org/GTC/probate/default.aspx Vermont probate district courthouses]. The district offices maintain original probate files as well as card indexes of the decedents.  
*''[http://www.familysearch.org/eng/Search/Rg/frameset_rg.asp?Dest=G1&Aid=&Gid=&Lid=&Sid=&Did=&Juris1=&Event=&Year=&Gloss=&Sub=&Tab=&Entry=&Guide=Vermont.ASP Vermont Research Outline].'' Salt Lake City, Utah: Intellectual Reserve, Inc., Family History Department, 1998, 2001.


====Regional====
== Websites ==


*The [http://library.nehgs.org/ New England Historic Genealogical Society] located in the heart of downtown Boston, Massachusetts has pre-1850 Vermont probate records available on microfilm. The society's R. Stanton Avery Special Collections Department also houses two manuscript indexes to early probate records for the Rutland (Rutland County) and Randolph (Orange County) districts.
*''Vermont Probate Districts''. In VTGenWeb [database online]. N.p., 12 August 1999 [cited 25 August 1999]. Available at [http://home.att.net/~Local_History/Courts-VT.htm www.rootsweb.com/~vtgenweb/probate.htm]. This site lists the counties, brief county history sketches, each probate district with its address, telephone number, and office hours.
====National====


*The [[FamilySearch Library|Family History Library]] located in Salt Lake City, Utah has pre-1850 Vermont probate records available on microfilm. For collection details see the [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog FamilySearch Catalog]. Use the "Place Search" option to search for a specific Vermont county. Then look for topics labeled "Probate Records" or "Guardianship."
== References  ==


===Statewide Record Collections===
<references />


*'''1800-1921''' {{RecordSearch|1435692|Vermont Probate Files, 1800-1921}} at FamilySearch - [[Vermont Probate Files - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; images and index, has digital images of originals housed in the county probate courts in Vermont. Currently only the counties of Chittenden and Essex are available in this database. Additional counties will be added later.
[[Category:Vermont|Probate]]
 
===Online Resources===
 
'''Wiki articles describing online FamilySearch collections are found at:'''
 
*[[Vermont, Bennington County, Manchester District, Probates - FamilySearch Historical Records|Vermont, Bennington County, Manchester District Estate Files - FamilySearch Historical Records]]
*[[Vermont, Franklin County Probates - FamilySearch Historical Records|Vermont, Franklin County Probates - FamilySearch Historical Records]]
*[[Vermont Probate Records and Estate Files - FamilySearch Historical Records|Vermont Probate Records and Estate Files - FamilySearch Historical Records]] [[Vermont, Washington County, Probate Estate Files - FamilySearch Historical Records]]
*[[Vermont, Washington County, Probate Estate Files - FamilySearch Historical Records|Vermont, Washington County Probate Estate Files - FamilySearch Historical Records]]
*[[Vermont, Windham County, Westminster District Probates - FamilySearch Historical Records]]
 
===Additional Helps===
 
====Published Materials====
 
*Bartley, Scott Andrew. "A Guide to Genealogical Research in Vermont." ''New England Ancestors,'' Summer 2007. ({{FSC|974 D25nea v. 8}}.)
 
*Bartley, Scott Andrew. "[http://www.americanancestors.org/adoption-by-law/ Adoption by Law]." [Online Articl.... AmericanAncestors.org, 2010. Available only to members&nbsp;of&nbsp;American Ancestors.
 
*Bartley, Scott Andrew. "[http://www.americanancestors.org/vermont-probate-records/ Vermont Probate Records]." [Online Articl.... AmericanAncestors.org. 11 April 2003. Available only to members&nbsp;of&nbsp;American Ancestors.
 
*Eichholz, Alice. ''Collecting Vermont Ancestors''. Montpelier, Vermont: New Trails, 1986. ({{FSC|974.3 D27e}}.) ([http://www.worldcat.org/title/collecting-vermont-ancestors/oclc/14186367&amp;referer=brief_results WorldCat entr...).
 
*Leclerc, Michael J., ed. ''Genealogist's Handbook for New England Research'', 5th ed. Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, c2012. This helpful guide contains addresses for each of the Vermont probate district courts. ([http://www.worldcat.org/title/genealogists-handbook-for-new-england-research/oclc/42829198&amp;referer=brief_results WorldCat entr...). ({{FSC|1967587|item|disp=FS Catalog book 974 D27g 2012}}).
 
====Websites====
 
*[http://www.vermontjudiciary.org Vermont Judiciary.org] The official Web site of the Vermont Judiciary. The site provides useful information about the Vermont court system, including the [http://www.vermontjudiciary.org/GTC/probate/default.aspx Vermont Probate Court]. Resources include address and telephone number for each probate court, information about guardianships and adoptions, answers to frequently asked questions, etc. Maps and travel directions to [http://www.vermontjudiciary.org/MasterPages/Fav-Courtdirections.aspx Vermont probate courts].
 
{{Wikipedia|Vermont_court_system}}
 
*[http://www.michie.com/ Michie's Legal Resources]. An excellent online resource for current [http://www.michie.com/vermont/lpext.dll?f=templates&fn=main-h.htm&2.0 Vermont court rules and statutes].
 
===References===
 
<references />
 
{{Vermont2|Vermont}}
 
[[Category:Vermont, United States|Probat...][[Category:Adoptio...]
 
[[Category:United_States_Probate_Records]]

Revision as of 09:13, 24 August 2010

United States  Gotoarrow.png  Vermont  Gotoarrow.png  Probate Records

History[edit | edit source]

Probate records of Vermont are kept by probate courts. The records include wills, inventories, estates, guardianships, name changes, adoptions, and relinquishments. There are 14 counties and 18 probate districts in Vermont. The four southern counties (Bennington, Rutland, Windham, and Windsor) have two probate courts each. You can obtain copies of the records by contacting the clerk of the appropriate probate district.

Adoption cases over 99 years old are open to the public.

Record Synopsis[edit | edit source]

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.”[1] 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 probate records and the probate process see United States Probate Records.

Major Repositories[edit | edit source]

Local[edit | edit source]

  • General Services and Records Center

Regional[edit | edit source]

National[edit | edit source]

  • The Family History Library located in Salt Lake City, Utah has pre-1850 Vermont probate records available on microfilm. For collection details see the Family History Library Catalog. Use the "Place Search" option to search for a specific Vermont county. Then look for the topics labeled "Probate Records" or "Guardianship."

Statewide Record Collections[edit | edit source]

  • "Vermont Probate Files, 1791-1919," database, FamilySearch; (http://familysearch.org), from County Probate Courts in Vermont. Digital images of originals housed in the County Probate Courts in Vermont. Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah; Contains index and images of probate estate files. Currently only the counties of Chittenden and Essex are available. Additional counties will be added later.

Resources[edit | edit source]

  • Bartley, Scott Andrew. "A Guide to Genealogical Research in Vermont." New England Ancestors, Summer 2007.
  • Eichholz, Alice. Collecting Vermont Ancestors. Montpelier, Vermont: New Trails, 1986.
  • Melnyk, Marcia D. Genealogist's Handbook for New England Research, 4th ed. Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1999; Contains addresses of the Vermont probate district courts.

Websites[edit | edit source]

  • Vermont Probate Districts. In VTGenWeb [database online]. N.p., 12 August 1999 [cited 25 August 1999]. Available at www.rootsweb.com/~vtgenweb/probate.htm. This site lists the counties, brief county history sketches, each probate district with its address, telephone number, and office hours.

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Henry Campbell Black, Black's Law Dictionary, 5th ed. (St. Paul, Minnesota: West Publishing Co., 1979), 1081, "probate."
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