3,931
edits
added step 4
(moved indexes info) |
(added step 4) |
||
| Line 48: | Line 48: | ||
<br>The whole of the county of Durham was under the primary jurisdiction of the [[Court of the Bishop of Durham (Episcopal Consistory)|Court of the Bishop of Durham (Episcopal Consistory)]]. This court should be searched first when looking for the probate of a deceased person who lived or owned property in Durham. Additional courts listed below also had jurisdiction over Durham. If you do not find a probate in the Court of the Bishop of Durham, search those additional courts.<br> | <br>The whole of the county of Durham was under the primary jurisdiction of the [[Court of the Bishop of Durham (Episcopal Consistory)|Court of the Bishop of Durham (Episcopal Consistory)]]. This court should be searched first when looking for the probate of a deceased person who lived or owned property in Durham. Additional courts listed below also had jurisdiction over Durham. If you do not find a probate in the Court of the Bishop of Durham, search those additional courts.<br> | ||
==== 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: | |||
*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> | |||
== Durham Probate Courts == | == Durham Probate Courts == | ||
| Line 59: | Line 67: | ||
*[[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]] | *[[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]] | ||
Some Explanatory Notes on the Courts of Durham | == Some Explanatory Notes on the Courts of Durham == | ||
The earliest original wills for Durham date from 1540, but there are some registered copy wills for 1526-1534. There are earlier records filed with the superior courts, some dating back to 1311, in the bishop's general serices of act books. There are gaps in the records for early periods; others in poor condition. | The earliest original wills for Durham date from 1540, but there are some registered copy wills for 1526-1534. There are earlier records filed with the superior courts, some dating back to 1311, in the bishop's general serices of act books. There are gaps in the records for early periods; others in poor condition. | ||