Virginia Probate Records: Difference between revisions

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''[[United States|United States ]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]]  [[Virginia|Virginia ]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]]  [[Virginia_Probate_Records|Probate Records]]''
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== Record Synopsis  ==
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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, [[United States Probate Wills|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|probate process]],&nbsp;types of probate records,&nbsp;[[Analyzing United States Probate Records|analyzing probate records]], and to access a [[Glossary of United States Probate Terms|glossary]] of probate terms, see [https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/United_States_Probate_Records United States Probate Records].


==Online Resources==
== History ==
*'''Pre-1799''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=10611 Virginia wills before 1799 : a complete abstract register.... ], ($), index & images
*'''1384-1858''' [https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C12122 Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills (1384-1858)] at The National Archives, UK - ($) 
*'''1384-1858''' [http://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/user/subscriptions.php#record_sets PCC Wills Index and Images (1384-1858)] at The Genealogist - ($)  
*'''1384-1858''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=5111 Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858] at Ancestry -($)
*'''1639-1850''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7832 Virginia Land, Marriage, and Probate Records, 1639-1850], ($) index & images
*'''1652-1900''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/62347/ Virginia, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1652-1900] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
*[https://lva-virginia.libguides.com/wills Wills and Estate Records Index] at Library of Virginia - index
*[http://www.virginiamemory.com/collections/chancery/ Library of Virginia Chancery Records Index] at Virginia Memory
*[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=48444 Virginia Will Records] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
*[http://www.gunstonhall.org/library/probate/index.htm Gunston Hall Plantation Probate Inventory Database]
*[http://lva1.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/F/?func=file&file_name=find-b-clas08&local_base=CLAS08 Library of Virginia Wills/Administration]
*[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=6280 Virginia County Records, Volume VI] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
*[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=6293 Virginia County Records, Volume IX] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
*[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=6325 Virginia County Records, Volume X] at Ancestry - index & images ($)
*[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 ==
Probate records have been kept at the county level in [[Virginia]] by the general court and by the county and circuit courts. For the colonial period, dozens of Virginia wills were proved in the [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury|Prerogative Court of Canterbury]] in London, England. In independent cities, probates are now kept by the clerks' offices of the circuit courts.
 
In probate case files you may find wills, inventories, appraisals, accounts, and bonds. Probate records may also be included in deed books and court order books.
 
*A brief history of the settlement and boundary changes of&nbsp;Virginia and the resultant effects on record keeping can be found on [http://www.ancestry.com/wiki/index.php?title=History_of_Virginia Ancestry]. ($)
*A discussion of Virginia Probate Records written by Johni Cerny and Gareth L. Mark for ''Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources ''can be found at [http://www.ancestry.com/wiki/index.php?title=Virginia_Probate_Records Ancestry].($)
 
== State Statutes  ==
 
Understanding the&nbsp;Virginia probate laws and how they changed over time can help us learn how the estate was administered, taxed, and distributed and might help to solve difficult genealogical problems.
 
Additional information about&nbsp;Virginia state statutes relating to probate matters can be found at law libraries. Online digital versions of state statutes can often be found by conducting a search engine search for the term, "Virginia statutes."
 
== Repositories ==


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 records may be found in probate files. These may include, [[United States Probate Wills|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 the probate process, types of probate records, [[Analyzing United States Probate Records|analyzing probate records]], and to access a [[Glossary of United States Probate Terms|glossary]] of probate terms, see [[United States Probate Records|United States Probate Records]].
==== Local  ====


== History  ==
The original probate records are at the county courthouses or at the Library of Virginia.


Probate records have been kept by at the county level in [[Virginia, United States Genealogy|Virginia]] by the general court and by the county and circuit courts. Records of the general court, where many prominent Virginians proved their wills, "were lost when Richmond was burned in April 1865."<ref>George H.S. King, "Will of Colonel John Chiswell (c.1710-1766) With Some Genealogical Notes," ''Virginia Genealogical Society Quarterly'', Vol. 7, No. 4 (Oct. 1969):78. Digital version at [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=6131 Ancestry] ($).</ref> In independent cities, probates are now kept by the clerks' offices of the circuit courts.
==== Regional  ====


== Records  ==
The [http://www.lva.virginia.gov/ Library of Virginia]&nbsp;and the Family History Library have&nbsp;microfilm copies of many probate records for most of the counties in Virginia. These include wills up to the 1860s and 1870s and indexes up to the 1940s and 1950s. For example, from Fairfax County the library has administration bonds (1752-82), will books (1742-1866), and a will index (1742-1951).


The wills of colonial Virginians may have been proved locally or abroad. Many wills were probated in London and Edinburgh.
==== National  ====


=== Proved in Virginia ===
The [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=localitydetails&subject=351&subject_disp=Virginia&first=201&last=300&columns=*,0,0 Family History Library] has a good collection of probate records and indexes on both the state and local level. Some begin in the very early 1600s.


*[https://lva-virginia.libguides.com/wills Wills and Estate Records Index] at Library of Virginia. An index of estate administration records, including wills, inventories, sales, and other documents, from 1633 to 1800, found in the will books of fifty-one Virginia counties and cities.
== Statewide Record Collections  ==


*Torrence, Clayton. ''Virginia Wills and Administrations, 1632-1800.'' 1930; reprint, Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1985. {{FSC|371231|item|disp=FS Library Book 975.5 P22t}}; {{FSC|371231|item|disp=FS Library Film 29274}}. Online at: [https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/564542-virginia-wills-and-administrations-1632-1800-an-index-of-wills-recorded-in-local-courts-of-virginia-1632-1800-and-of-administrations-on-estates-shown-by-inventories-of-the-estates-of-intestates-recorded-in-will-and-other-books-of-local-c?offset=1 FamilySearch Digital Library].
A helpful inventory of probate records at the Library of Virginia is:


For the period '''1800 to 1865,''' see the 10-volume:  
*Vogt, John, and T. William Kethley, Jr. ''Will and Estate Records in the Virginia State Library: A Researcher's Guide''. Athens, Georgia: Iberian Publishing Company, 1987. {{FHL|478868|item}}, book 975.5 P23v.


*Pippenger, Wesley E. ''Index to Virginia Estates, 1800-1865''. 10 vols. Richmond, Va.: Virginia Genealogical Society, 2001-2008. {{FSC|1035393|item|disp=FS Library Book 975.5 P22p}}.
For abstracts of early Virginia wills, the following reference books are available:  


Pippenger's book references all types of probate records, including inventories, accounts, etc.  
*Hopkins, William Lindsay. ''Some Wills from Burned Counties of Virginia and Other Wills Not Listed in the Virginia Wills and Administrations, 1632-1800''. Richmond, Virginia: W.L. Hopkins, 1987. {{FHL|537823|item}}, book 975.5 P2h}}


For the period '''after 1865''', it is necessary to search will indexes on a county-by-county basis.  
*Currer-Briggs, Noel. ''Virginia Settlers and English Adventurers, Abstracts of Wills, 1484-1798, and Legal Proceedings, 1560-1700, Relating to Early Virginia Families''. Three volumes in one. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing, 1970. {{FHL|78100|item}}, book 975.5 P2cb.


Original will books are stored at courthouses. Many are available on microfilm at the [[Library of Virginia]] and the [https://www.familysearch.org/en/library/ FamilySearch Library]. A guide for the Library of Virginia collections has been published.<ref>John Vogt, William T. Kethley and Virginia State Library and Archives (Richmond Virginia). ''Will and Estate Records in the Virginia State Library A Researcher's Guide'' (Athens, Ga.: Iberian Pub. Co., c1987). {{FSC|478868|item|disp=FS Library Book 975.5 P23v}}.</ref>
*McGhan, Judith. ''Virginia Will Records''. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing, 1982. {{FHL|488373|item}}, book 975.5 P2v. Excerpted and reprinted from ''The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography'', the ''William and Mary Quarterly Historical Magazine'', and ''Tyler's Quarterly Historical and Genealogical Magazine''.


=== Proved in London  ===
Online collections include:


Virginia wills and administrations proved in the [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury|Prerogative Court of Canterbury]] in London have been abstracted and published multiple times. Each edition is listed here:
*''[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7832 Virginia Land, Marriage, and Probate Records, 1639-1850]'' database, Ancestry. (http://ancestry.com) includes wills from the counties of Augusta, Isle of Wight, and Norfolk.&nbsp;


{| width="100%" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="0" class="FCK__ShowTableBorders"
*[http://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/guides/opac/willsabout.htm Index to Wills and Administrations to 1800], courtesy: [http://www.lva.virginia.gov/ Library of Virginia].
|-
| '''Years'''
| '''Book'''
| '''Link'''
|-
| bgcolor="#ffffcc" | 1610-1699<ref>Peter Wilson Coldham, ''English Estates of American Colonists: American Wills and Administrations in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1610-1699'' (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1980). Digital version at [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=48506 Ancestry] ($).</ref>
| bgcolor="#ffffcc" | <br>
| bgcolor="#ffffcc" | [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=48506 Ancestry] ($)
|-
| 1700-1799<ref>Peter Wilson Coldham, ''English Estates of American Colonists: American Wills and Administrations in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1700-1799'' (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1980). Digital version of 1991 reprint available at [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=48554 Ancestry] ($).</ref>
| <br>
| [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=48554 Ancestry] ($)
|-
| bgcolor="#ffffcc" | 1800-1858<ref>Peter Wilson Coldham, ''English Estates of American Colonists: American Wills and Administrations in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1800-1858'' (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1981). Digital version at [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=48507 Ancestry] ($).</ref>
| bgcolor="#ffffcc" | <br>
| bgcolor="#ffffcc" | [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=48507 Ancestry] ($)
|-
| 1610-1857<ref>Peter Wilson Coldham, ''American Wills and Administrations in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1610-1857'' (Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1989). {{FSC|60113|item|disp=FS Library Book 942 P27c}}; digital version at [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=48453 Ancestry] ($). </ref>
| {{FSC|60113|item|disp=FS Library Book 942 P27c}}
| [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=48453 Ancestry] ($)
|-
| bgcolor="#ffffcc" | 1611-1775<ref>Peter Wilson Coldham, ''American Wills Proved in London, 1611-1775'' (Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1992). {{FSC|619298|item|disp=FS Library Book 973 P27ca}}; digital version at [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=48497 Ancestry] ($).</ref>
| bgcolor="#ffffcc" | {{FSC|619298|item|disp=FS Library Book 973 P27ca}}
| bgcolor="#ffffcc" | [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=48497 Ancestry] ($)
|-
| 1611-1857<ref>Peter Wilson Coldham, ''North American Wills Registered in London, 1611-1857'' (Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2007). {{FSC|1384506|item|disp=FS Library Book 942 P27c 2007}}.</ref>
| {{FSC|1384506|item|disp=FS Library Book 942 P27c 2007}}
| <br>
|}


If you find a will abstract of interest, it is now possible to view digital images of the original Prerogative Court of Canterbury wills online at three pay-per-view websites:  
*[http://www.gunstonhall.org/library/probate/index.htm Probate Inventory Database: Virginia and Maryland Probate Inventories 300+ Transcriptions Recorded 1740 - 1810], courtesy: [http://www.gunstonhall.org/ Gunston H<span id="fck_dom_range_temp_1282923693437_398" />all Plantation].


*'''1384-1858''' [https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C12122 Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills (1384-1858)] at The National Archives, UK - ($) 
*[http://www.virginiamemory.com/collections/chancery/ Chancery Records Index] (search online database with digital images)
*'''1384-1858''' [http://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/user/subscriptions.php#record_sets PCC Wills Index and Images (1384-1858)] at The Genealogist - ($) 
*'''1384-1858''' [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=5111 Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858] at Ancestry -($)  


Many English wills mentioning Virginia (and some Scottish and Irish wills) have been reproduced on microfilm in the Virginia Colonial Records Project (Library of Virginia). For a guide, see:
==== Proved in Virginia&nbsp;  ====


*Walne, Peter. ''English Wills: Probate Records in England and Wales With a Brief Note on Scottish and Irish Wills, A Special Report of the Virginia Colonial Records Project'', 2nd ed. Richmond, 1981.
Excellent&nbsp;printed&nbsp;indexes to Virginia's wills and administrations are available for the period for the early 1600s to 1865:


=== Proved in Edinburgh  ===
*Torrence, Clayton. ''Virginia Wills and Administrations, 1632-1800''. 1930; reprint, Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1985. {{FHL|540441|item}}, book 975.5 P22t; {{FHL|371231|item}}, film 29274. A revised and updated edition is available for free online at the Library of Virginia's [http://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/guides/opac/willsabout.htm website].<br><br>
*Pippenger, Wesley E. ''Index to Virginia Estates, 1800-1865''. 10 vols. Richmond, Va.: Virginia Genealogical Society, 2001-2008.&nbsp;{{FHL|1035393|item}}, book 975.5 P22p v. 1.


The wills of some Virginia residents were proved in Edinburgh, Scotland, see:
Pippenger's book references&nbsp;all types of probate records, including inventories, accounts, etc.


*Dobson, David. ''Scottish-American Wills, 1650-1900''. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1991. {{FSC|588724|item|disp=FS Library Book 973 P22d}}; digital version on [https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=49335 Ancestry ($)]. Over 2,000 citations including name, occupation, residence, and date.<ref>Most of these references were taken from the Commissariat Court of Edinburgh (now the Sheriff Court of Edinburgh) and the ''Index to Personal Estates of Defuncts, 1846-1866.''</ref>
==== Proved in London  ====


If you find a will abstact that interests you in Dobson's book, it is now possible to view digital images of the original records online at a United Kingdom pay-per-view website:  
Virginia wills and administrations proved in London have been abstracted and published multiple times. Each edition is listed here, as some are available online, while others are not. In addition, publishers included more detailed abstracts in some editions than&nbsp;others. The 2007 edition includes a place-name index that enables users to pluck out Virginia references:  


*[http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ Wills &amp; Testaments (1513-1901)], courtesy: Scotlands People
*Coldham,&nbsp;Peter Wilson. ''English Estates of American Colonists: American Wills and Administrations in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1610-1699''. Baltimore:&nbsp;Genealogical Publishing Co., 1980. Digital version at [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=48506 Ancestry] ($).<br><br>
*Coldham, Peter Wilson. ''English Estates of American Colonists: American Wills and Administrations in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1700-1799''. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1980. Digital version of 1991 reprint available at [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=48554 Ancestry] ($).<br><br> 
*Coldham, Peter Wilson. ''English Estates of American Colonists: American Wills and Administrations in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1800-1858''. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1981. Digital version at [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=48507 Ancestry] ($).<br><br> 
*Coldham, Peter Wilson. ''American Wills &amp; Administrations in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1610-1857''. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1989. {{FHL|60113|item}}, book 942 P27c; digital version at [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=48453 Ancestry] ($).<br><br> 
*Coldham,&nbsp;Peter Wilson. ''American Wills Proved in London, 1611-1775''. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1992. {{FHL|619298|item}}, book 973 P27ca; digital version at [http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=48497 Ancestry] ($).<br><br> 
*Coldham, Peter Wilson. ''North American Wills Registered in London, 1611-1857''. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2007. {{FHL|1384506|item}}, book 942 P27c 2007.


===Virginia Gleanings in England===
If you find a will abstact that interests you in Coldham's books, it is now possible to view digital images of the original Prerogative Court of Canterbury wills online at two United Kingdom pay-per-view websites:  
*Withington, Lothrop. ''Virginia Gleanings in England: Abstracts of 17th and 18th-Century English Wills and Administrations Relating to Virginia and Virginians. ''{{FSC|975.5 P28w}}. Online at [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/48515/ Ancestry] ($).


Withington's work, along with his successors Leo Culleton and Reginald M. Glencross, was originally published as a serial article in ''The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography'' between 1902 and 1948. Nearly the entire set (through 1922) is available online for free at JSTOR:
*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/wills.asp Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills (1384-1858)], courtesy: The National Archives,&nbsp;UK.<br><br>
*[http://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/user/subscriptions.php#record_sets PCC&nbsp;Wills Index and Images (1384-1858)], courtesy: The Genealogist. (in progress)


{| cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="100%" border="1"
==== Proved in Edinburgh  ====
|-
| bgcolor="#ffffcc" colspan="4" | <center>'''Virginia Gleanings in England''' by Withington</center>
|-
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242536 Vol. 10, No. 3 (Jan. 1902)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242929 Vol. 16, No. 1 (Jul. 1908)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243319 Vol. 22, No. 1 (Jan. 1914)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243751 Vol. 28, No. 1 (Jan. 1920)]
|-
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242556 Vol. 10, No. 4 (Apr. 1903)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242945 Vol. 16, No. 2 (Oct. 1908)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243342 Vol. 22, No. 2 (Apr. 1914)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243764 Vol. 28, No. 2 (Apr. 1920)]
|-
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242575 Vol. 11, No. 1 (Jul. 1903)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242962 Vol. 17, No. 1 (Jan. 1909)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243363 Vol. 22, No. 3 (Jul. 1914)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243774 Vol. 28, No. 3 (Jul. 1920)]
|-
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242591 Vol. 11, No. 2 (Oct. 1903)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242977 Vol. 17, No. 2 (Apr. 1909)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243386 Vol. 22, No. 4 (Oct. 1914)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243787 Vol. 28, No. 4 (Oct. 1920)]
|-
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242619 Vol. 11, No. 3 (Jan. 1904)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242978 Vol. 17, No. 2 (Apr. 1909) Addenda]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243405 Vol. 23, No. 1 (Jan. 1915)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243801 Vol. 29, No. 1 (Jan. 1921)]
|-
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242631 Vol. 11, No. 4 (Apr. 1904)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242995 Vol. 17, No. 3 (Jul. 1909)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243432 Vol. 23, No. 2 (Apr. 1915)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243830 Vol. 29, No. 3 (Jul. 1921)]
|-
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242654 Vol. 12, No. 1 (Jul. 1904)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243018 Vol. 17, No. 4 (Oct. 1909)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243451 Vol. 23, No. 3 (Jul. 1915)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243844 Vol. 29, No. 4 (Oct. 1921)]
|-
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242667 Vol. 12, No. 2 (Oct. 1904)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243036 Vol. 18, No. 1 (Jan. 1910)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243470 Vol. 23, No. 4 (Oct. 1915)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243862 Vol. 30, No. 1 (Jan. 1922)]
|-
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242688 Vol. 12, No. 3 (Jan. 1905)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243053 Vol. 18, No. 2 (Apr. 1910)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243489 Vol. 24, No. 1 (Jan. 1916)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243882 Vol. 30, No. 3 (Jul. 1922)]
|-
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242706 Vol. 12, No. 4 (Apr. 1905)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243057 Vol. 18, No. 2 (Apr. 1910) Errata]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243512 Vol. 24, No. 2 (Apr. 1916)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243894 Vol. 30, No. 4 (Oct. 1922)]
|-
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242725 Vol. 13, No. 1 (Jul. 1905)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243074 Vol. 18, No. 3 (Jul. 1910)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243550 Vol. 24, No. 4 (Oct. 1916)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243918 Vol. 31, No. 2 (Apr. 1923)] ($)
|-
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242737 Vol. 13, No. 2 (Oct. 1905)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243091 Vol. 18, No. 4 (Oct. 1910)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243571 Vol. 25, No. 1 (Jan. 1917)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243928 Vol. 31, No. 3 (Jul. 1923)] ($)
|-
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242748 Vol. 13, No. 3 (Jan. 1906)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243130 Vol. 19, No. 2 (Apr. 1911)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243592 Vol. 25, No. 2 (Apr. 1917)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243940 Vol. 31, No. 4 (Oct. 1923)] ($)
|-
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242765 Vol. 13, No. 4 (Apr. 1906)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243143 Vol. 19, No. 3 (Jul. 1911)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243608 Vol. 25, No. 3 (Jul. 1917)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243966 Vol. 32, No. 2 (Apr. 1924)] ($)
|-
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242783 Vol. 14, No. 1 (Jul. 1906)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243162 Vol. 19, No. 4 (Oct. 1911)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243629 Vol. 25, No. 4 (Oct. 1917)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243978 Vol. 32, No. 3 (Jul. 1924)] ($)
|-
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242799 Vol. 14, No. 2 (Oct. 1906)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243180 Vol. 20, No. 1 (Jan. 1912)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243643 Vol. 26, No. 1 (Jan. 1918)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243989 Vol. 32, No. 4 (Oct. 1924)] ($)
|-
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242814 Vol. 14, No. 3 (Jan. 1907)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243194 Vol. 20, No. 2 (Apr. 1912)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243666 Vol. 26, No. 2 (Apr. 1918)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4244108 Vol. 34, No. 4 (Oct. 1926)] ($)
|-
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242836 Vol. 14, No. 4 (Apr. 1907)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243209 Vol. 20, No. 3 (Jul. 1912)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243681 Vol. 26, No. 3 (Jul. 1918)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4244246 Vol. 37, No. 1 (Jan. 1929)] ($)
|-
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242850 Vol. 15, No. 1 (Jul. 1907)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243226 Vol. 20, No. 4 (Oct. 1912)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243698 Vol. 26, No. 4 (Oct. 1918)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4244262 Vol. 37, No. 2 (Apr. 1929)] ($)
|-
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242869 Vol. 15, No. 2 (Oct. 1907)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243261 Vol. 21, No. 2 (Apr. 1913)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243712 Vol. 27, No. 1 (Jan. 1919)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4244290 Vol. 37, No. 3 (Jul. 1929)] ($)
|-
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242889 Vol. 15, No. 3 (Jan. 1908)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243281 Vol. 21, No. 3 (Jul. 1913)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243720 Vol. 27, No. 2 (Apr. 1919)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4245521 Vol. 56, No. 1 (Jan. 1948)] ($)
|-
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4242911 Vol. 15, No. 4 (Apr. 1908)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243301 Vol. 21, No. 4 (Oct. 1913)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4243731 Vol. 27, No. 3/4 (Jul.-Oct. 1919)]
| [http://www.jstor.org/stable/4245564 Vol. 56, No. 3 (Jul. 1948)] ($)
|}


== Abstracts  ==
The wills of some Virginia residents were proved in Edinburgh, Scotland, see:


For abstracts of early Virginia wills, the following collections are available:  
*Dobson, David. ''Scottish-American Wills, 1650-1900''. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1991. {{FHL|588724|item}}, book 973 P22d. Over 2,000 citations including name, occupation, residence, and date.


*Hopkins, William Lindsay. ''Some Wills from Burned Counties of Virginia and Other Wills Not Listed in the Virginia Wills and Administrations, 1632-1800''. Richmond, Virginia: W.L. Hopkins, 1987. {{FSC|537823|item|disp=FS Library Book 975.5 P2h}}.
Most of these references were taken from the Commissariat Court of Edinburgh (now the Sheriff Court of Edinburgh) and the ''Index to Personal Estates of Defuncts, 1846-1866.'' If you find a will abstact that interests you in Dobson's book, it is now possible to view digital images of the original records online at a United Kingdom pay-per-view website:  


*Currer-Briggs, Noel. ''Virginia Settlers and English Adventurers, Abstracts of Wills, 1484-1798, and Legal Proceedings, 1560-1700, Relating to Early Virginia Families''. Three volumes in one. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing, 1970. {{FSC|78100|item|disp=FS Library Book 975.5 P2cb}}.
*[http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ Wills &amp; Testaments (1513-1901)], courtesy: Scotlands People


*King, George H.S. "Copies of Extant Wills from Counties Whose Records Have Been Destroyed," which was originally published in ''Tyler's Quarterly Historical and Genealogical Magazine'', was reprinted in Volume 4 of ''Genealogies of Virginia Families From Tyler's Quarterly Historical and Genealogical Magazine''.<ref>John Frederick Dorman, "Review of ''Genealogies of Virginia Families From Tyler's Quarterly Historical and Genealogical Magazine,''" in ''The Virginia Genealogist,'' Vol. 26, No. 1 (Jan.-Mar. 1982):59. Online at [https://www.americanancestors.org/search/databasesearch/285/virginia-genealogist-the American Ancestors] by NEHGS ($). {{FSC|33159|item|disp=FS Library Book 975.5 B2vg v. 26 (1982)}}</ref>
==== Additional Statewide Collections  ====


*McGhan, Judith. ''Virginia Will Records''. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing, 1982. {{FSC|488373|item|disp=FS Library Book 975.5 P2v}}. Excerpted and reprinted from ''The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography'', the ''William and Mary Quarterly Historical Magazine'', and ''Tyler's Quarterly Historical and Genealogical Magazine''.
*''Colonial Virginia Source Records, 1600s-1700s.'' [S.l.]: Brøderbund, c2000.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; FHL CD-ROM no. 9 pt. 510 - FHL US/CAN Access Window.<br><br>
*Oliver, Harold. ''Virginia in the 1600's, An Index to Who was There!---and Where!'' Riverside, California: D&amp;H Pub. Co., c1992-&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;FHL book&nbsp;975.5 H22v.<br><br>
*Daughters of the American Revolution (Virginia).&nbsp;''Genealogical Records (Family, Church and War Records, etc.).''&nbsp;Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1972.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; FHL film&nbsp;897333 Items 1-2.<br><br>
*Daughters of the American Revolution (Virginia).&nbsp;Genealogical records. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1970.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; FHL films 850096 Item 9 and 850097 Items 3-4.<br><br>
*''Miscellaneous Wills of Virginia, 1675-1884. San Marino''. California: Henry E. Huntington Library, 1948.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;FHL film&nbsp;29281.&nbsp;<br><br>
*Daughters of the American Revolution (Virginia). ''Records, ca. 1700-1930''.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; FHL film 850096 Items 5-6.<br><br>
*Daughters of the American Revolution (Virginia). ''Report, 1933''. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1970.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; FHL&nbsp;850096 Item 7.<br><br>
*Fleet, Beverley.&nbsp;''Virginia Colonial Abstracts''.&nbsp;Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Pub. Co., c1988.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;FHL book 975.5 N2fb 1988. 3 vol. <br><br>
*Daughters of the American Revolution (Virginia).&nbsp;''Virginia Genealogical Records: Bibles,Wills, Deeds, Genealogies.''&nbsp;Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1971.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; FHL film 858646 Item 6.<br><br>
*Bell, Annie W. B.&nbsp;''Virginia Genealogies and County Records''.&nbsp;Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1970.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; FHL film&nbsp;850096 Items 1-4.<br><br>
*Nimmo, Thomas.&nbsp;&nbsp;''Virginia Notes''.&nbsp;Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1970.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; FHL film 850095.<br><br>


Many additional Virginia will abstracts have been published, see: [[Virginia Probate Record Abstracts]].
== Learn More  ==


== State Statutes ==
==== Published Materials ====


Understanding the Virginia probate laws and how they changed over time can help researchers learn how the estate was administered, taxed, and distributed and might help to solve difficult genealogical problems.  
*Vogt, John, William T. Kethley and Virginia State Library and Archives (Richmond Virginia). ''Will and Estate Records in the Virginia State Library&nbsp;:&nbsp;A Researcher's Guide. ''Athens, Georgia&nbsp;: Iberian Pub. Co., c1987. {{FHL|478868|item}}, book 975.5 P23v.


Additional information about Virginia state statutes relating to probate matters can be found at law libraries. ''Hening's Statutes at Large'' (13 vols.) are available [https://usgenwebsites.org/vagenweb/hening/ online].
==== Web Sites ====


== Websites  ==
*:The Library Of Virginia<br>Archives And Research Services<br>800 East Broad Street<br>Richmond, VA 23219<br>Tel: 804-692-3500<br>[http://www.lva.virginia.gov/ Library of Virginia]<br><br>


*''[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7832 Virginia Land, Marriage, and Probate Records, 1639-1850]'' database at Ancestry ($). Includes wills from the counties of Augusta, Isle of Wight, and Norfolk. 
*[http://estate.findlaw.com/probate/probate-court-laws/state-probate-courts(2).html#UT FindLaw] has information on Virginia State Probate Courts.<br><br>
*[http://www.gunstonhall.org/library/probate/index.htm Probate Inventory Database: Virginia and Maryland Probate Inventories 300+ Transcriptions Recorded 1740 - 1810], courtesy: [http://www.gunstonhall.org/ Gunston Hall Plantation].
*[http://genealogy.about.com/library/authors/uclittle1d.htm Sources for Virginia Genealogy Research] at About.com has a bibliography of sources for learning about Virginia Probate Records.<br><br>
*[http://www.virginiamemory.com/collections/chancery/ Chancery Records Index] (search online database with digital images). Wills are included in some chancery cases.
*Jurisdiction information&nbsp;of Virginia courts can be found at the [http://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/guides/burned_juris/Jurisdiction_info.htm Library of Virginia] Internet site.&nbsp;
*[http://estate.findlaw.com/probate/probate-court-laws/state-probate-courts(2).html#UT FindLaw] has information on Virginia State Probate Courts.  
*Jurisdiction information of Virginia courts can be found at the [http://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/guides/burned_juris/Jurisdiction_info.htm Library of Virginia] Internet site.


== References  ==
== References  ==


<references />  
<references />
 
{{Virginia|Virginia}}&nbsp;


{{Virginia|Virginia}}
[[Category:Virginia|Probate Records]]
[[Category:Virginia,_United_States|Probate Records]]
[[Category:United States Probate Records]]

Revision as of 10:46, 18 December 2010

United States  Gotoarrow.png  Virginia  Gotoarrow.png  Probate Records

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 the probate process, types of probate records, analyzing probate records, and to access a glossary of probate terms, see United States Probate Records.

History[edit | edit source]

Probate records have been kept at the county level in Virginia by the general court and by the county and circuit courts. For the colonial period, dozens of Virginia wills were proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury in London, England. In independent cities, probates are now kept by the clerks' offices of the circuit courts.

In probate case files you may find wills, inventories, appraisals, accounts, and bonds. Probate records may also be included in deed books and court order books.

  • A brief history of the settlement and boundary changes of Virginia and the resultant effects on record keeping can be found on Ancestry. ($)
  • A discussion of Virginia Probate Records written by Johni Cerny and Gareth L. Mark for Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources can be found at Ancestry.($)

State Statutes[edit | edit source]

Understanding the Virginia probate laws and how they changed over time can help us learn how the estate was administered, taxed, and distributed and might help to solve difficult genealogical problems.

Additional information about Virginia state statutes relating to probate matters can be found at law libraries. Online digital versions of state statutes can often be found by conducting a search engine search for the term, "Virginia statutes."

Repositories[edit | edit source]

Local[edit | edit source]

The original probate records are at the county courthouses or at the Library of Virginia.

Regional[edit | edit source]

The Library of Virginia and the Family History Library have microfilm copies of many probate records for most of the counties in Virginia. These include wills up to the 1860s and 1870s and indexes up to the 1940s and 1950s. For example, from Fairfax County the library has administration bonds (1752-82), will books (1742-1866), and a will index (1742-1951).

National[edit | edit source]

The Family History Library has a good collection of probate records and indexes on both the state and local level. Some begin in the very early 1600s.

Statewide Record Collections[edit | edit source]

A helpful inventory of probate records at the Library of Virginia is:

  • Vogt, John, and T. William Kethley, Jr. Will and Estate Records in the Virginia State Library: A Researcher's Guide. Athens, Georgia: Iberian Publishing Company, 1987. FHL Collection, book 975.5 P23v.

For abstracts of early Virginia wills, the following reference books are available:

  • Hopkins, William Lindsay. Some Wills from Burned Counties of Virginia and Other Wills Not Listed in the Virginia Wills and Administrations, 1632-1800. Richmond, Virginia: W.L. Hopkins, 1987. FHL Collection, book 975.5 P2h}}
  • Currer-Briggs, Noel. Virginia Settlers and English Adventurers, Abstracts of Wills, 1484-1798, and Legal Proceedings, 1560-1700, Relating to Early Virginia Families. Three volumes in one. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing, 1970. FHL Collection, book 975.5 P2cb.
  • McGhan, Judith. Virginia Will Records. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing, 1982. FHL Collection, book 975.5 P2v. Excerpted and reprinted from The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, the William and Mary Quarterly Historical Magazine, and Tyler's Quarterly Historical and Genealogical Magazine.

Online collections include:

Proved in Virginia [edit | edit source]

Excellent printed indexes to Virginia's wills and administrations are available for the period for the early 1600s to 1865:

  • Torrence, Clayton. Virginia Wills and Administrations, 1632-1800. 1930; reprint, Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1985. FHL Collection, book 975.5 P22t; FHL Collection, film 29274. A revised and updated edition is available for free online at the Library of Virginia's website.

  • Pippenger, Wesley E. Index to Virginia Estates, 1800-1865. 10 vols. Richmond, Va.: Virginia Genealogical Society, 2001-2008. FHL Collection, book 975.5 P22p v. 1.

Pippenger's book references all types of probate records, including inventories, accounts, etc.

Proved in London[edit | edit source]

Virginia wills and administrations proved in London have been abstracted and published multiple times. Each edition is listed here, as some are available online, while others are not. In addition, publishers included more detailed abstracts in some editions than others. The 2007 edition includes a place-name index that enables users to pluck out Virginia references:

  • Coldham, Peter Wilson. English Estates of American Colonists: American Wills and Administrations in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1610-1699. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1980. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

  • Coldham, Peter Wilson. English Estates of American Colonists: American Wills and Administrations in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1700-1799. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1980. Digital version of 1991 reprint available at Ancestry ($).

  • Coldham, Peter Wilson. English Estates of American Colonists: American Wills and Administrations in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1800-1858. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1981. Digital version at Ancestry ($).

  • Coldham, Peter Wilson. American Wills & Administrations in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 1610-1857. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1989. FHL Collection, book 942 P27c; digital version at Ancestry ($).

  • Coldham, Peter Wilson. American Wills Proved in London, 1611-1775. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1992. FHL Collection, book 973 P27ca; digital version at Ancestry ($).

  • Coldham, Peter Wilson. North American Wills Registered in London, 1611-1857. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Co., 2007. FHL Collection, book 942 P27c 2007.

If you find a will abstact that interests you in Coldham's books, it is now possible to view digital images of the original Prerogative Court of Canterbury wills online at two United Kingdom pay-per-view websites:

Proved in Edinburgh[edit | edit source]

The wills of some Virginia residents were proved in Edinburgh, Scotland, see:

  • Dobson, David. Scottish-American Wills, 1650-1900. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1991. FHL Collection, book 973 P22d. Over 2,000 citations including name, occupation, residence, and date.

Most of these references were taken from the Commissariat Court of Edinburgh (now the Sheriff Court of Edinburgh) and the Index to Personal Estates of Defuncts, 1846-1866. If you find a will abstact that interests you in Dobson's book, it is now possible to view digital images of the original records online at a United Kingdom pay-per-view website:

Additional Statewide Collections[edit | edit source]

  • Colonial Virginia Source Records, 1600s-1700s. [S.l.]: Brøderbund, c2000.      FHL CD-ROM no. 9 pt. 510 - FHL US/CAN Access Window.

  • Oliver, Harold. Virginia in the 1600's, An Index to Who was There!---and Where! Riverside, California: D&H Pub. Co., c1992-     FHL book 975.5 H22v.

  • Daughters of the American Revolution (Virginia). Genealogical Records (Family, Church and War Records, etc.). Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1972.     FHL film 897333 Items 1-2.

  • Daughters of the American Revolution (Virginia). Genealogical records. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1970.     FHL films 850096 Item 9 and 850097 Items 3-4.

  • Miscellaneous Wills of Virginia, 1675-1884. San Marino. California: Henry E. Huntington Library, 1948.     FHL film 29281. 

  • Daughters of the American Revolution (Virginia). Records, ca. 1700-1930.     FHL film 850096 Items 5-6.

  • Daughters of the American Revolution (Virginia). Report, 1933. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1970.     FHL 850096 Item 7.

  • Fleet, Beverley. Virginia Colonial Abstracts. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Pub. Co., c1988.     FHL book 975.5 N2fb 1988. 3 vol.

  • Daughters of the American Revolution (Virginia). Virginia Genealogical Records: Bibles,Wills, Deeds, Genealogies. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1971.     FHL film 858646 Item 6.

  • Bell, Annie W. B. Virginia Genealogies and County Records. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1970.     FHL film 850096 Items 1-4.

  • Nimmo, Thomas.  Virginia Notes. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1970.     FHL film 850095.

Learn More[edit | edit source]

Published Materials[edit | edit source]

  • Vogt, John, William T. Kethley and Virginia State Library and Archives (Richmond Virginia). Will and Estate Records in the Virginia State Library : A Researcher's Guide. Athens, Georgia : Iberian Pub. Co., c1987. FHL Collection, book 975.5 P23v.

Web Sites[edit | edit source]

  • The Library Of Virginia
    Archives And Research Services
    800 East Broad Street
    Richmond, VA 23219
    Tel: 804-692-3500
    Library of Virginia

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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