Oregon Probate Records: Difference between revisions

''[[United States|United States]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[United States Probate Records|U.S. Probate]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Oregon|Oregon]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] Oregon Probate Records''  

== Record Synopsis ==

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. 

Explore more about the [[United States Probate Process|probate process]], [[United States Probate Limitations|limitations of probate records]],&nbsp;[[Analyzing United States Probate Records|analyzing probate records]], a [[Glossary of United States Probate Terms|glossary]] of probate terms, [[United States Probate Wills|wills]], and [http://wiki.familysearch.org/en/United_States_Probate_Records United States Probate Records].<br>

A few of the early probate files are now at the Oregon State Archives. Since 1859 the probate judge in each county has had jurisdiction over wills and the disposition of estates. Although some records are in the circuit court, the majority are kept by the clerk of each county court. The Family History Library has many of these records on microfilm.  

The [http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/prob.html Oregon State Archives] also has placed some of the records online.&nbsp;