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Other collections of will abstracts are described in ''Wills and Their Whereabouts''. | Other collections of will abstracts are described in ''Wills and Their Whereabouts''. | ||
Many Irish wills were probated in English courts, especially the Prerogative Court of Canterbury and the Prerogative Court of York. See the [http://www.familysearchwiki.org/resolveuid/7260466d59a7424bcd7cbf3b2d182211 England Research Outline]for more information on English courts and their records. | Many Irish wills were probated in English courts, especially the Prerogative Court of Canterbury and the Prerogative Court of York. See the [http://www.familysearchwiki.org/resolveuid/7260466d59a7424bcd7cbf3b2d182211 England Research Outline]for more information on English courts and their records. | ||
=== Post-1857 Probate Courts === | === Post-1857 Probate Courts === | ||
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If you are searching for a will proved between 1858 and 1877, look first at the consolidated index. If you are looking for a will proved after 1877, go directly to the calendar(s). These sources will tell you the district registry where the will was proved. Once you identify the district registry, you can easily establish if a relavant will or admon books survives. District records, including indexes, that are available at the Family History Library are listed in the Place Search of the catalog under IRELAND - PROBATE RECORDS. | If you are searching for a will proved between 1858 and 1877, look first at the consolidated index. If you are looking for a will proved after 1877, go directly to the calendar(s). These sources will tell you the district registry where the will was proved. Once you identify the district registry, you can easily establish if a relavant will or admon books survives. District records, including indexes, that are available at the Family History Library are listed in the Place Search of the catalog under IRELAND - PROBATE RECORDS. | ||
=== Transcripts and Abstracts of Destroyed Probate Records === | |||
<br>With the destruction of the original Prerogative Wills and most of the Will Books into which they were transcribed, the importance of transcripts made by various researchers cannot be over emphasized. By nature, interest in the wealthier classes and their lineages led to numerous will abstracts and transcripts. The more notable collections are here described, certainly there are many others. | |||
==== William Betham (1779-1853) ==== | |||
The most extensive collection of surviving Prerogative Will abstracts was compiled by Sir William Betham. Amounting to over 37,000 abstracts, they contain brief genealogical details from which extensive pedigrees were later compiled. The time period covered by these abstracts is 1536 1809. However, many of the early volumes are missing and most do not go beyond 1799. The Family History Library has microfilmed both the will abstracts and the pedigrees. These may be viewed in Salt Lake City or ordered through the numerous Family History Centers throughout the world. Unfortunately, the cataloging of the collection in the Family History Library catalog makes the microfilm collection useless since there is no indication of what surname is on what reel of microfilm. See Table 3 for a complete list of the microfilm numbers.<br>Pedigrees were compiled from the wills and are extremely valuable. Two sets of the pedigrees exist. One made by Sir William Betham in his own hand and another copy made for Sir Bernard Burke transcribed in a very fine hand. These are indexed by both the name of the deceased for whom the will was probated and the names of spouses (alliances) listed on the pedigrees. For a list of the Family History Library microfilm numbers, see Table 4. | |||
Sir William Betham also made the most complete abstracts of the Prerogative Administrations. These are deposited in the Genealogical Office (G.O. Mss. 257 260) with the heading "All the Administrations in the Prerogative Office in Dublin from the earliest time to the year 1802." They have been microfilmed by the Family History Library and are available on FHL microfilm 100,114. They are alphabetically arranged and usually contain the name of the testator, residence, occupation, date of probate, and names of the administrators. Estimates have been made that there are approximately 5,000 abstracts in this collection. | |||
==== William Carrigan (1860-1924) ==== | |||
Manuscript volumes compiled by the Very Rev. William Cannon Carrigan contain an extensive collection of will abstracts. These are deposited in the Archives of St. Kieran's College, Kilkenny. Many of the wills in this collection relate to Catholic families and approximately 380 are from the Prerogative Court for the time period 1546 1857. For a printed index to the wills in this collection see The Irish Genealogist Volume 4, No. 3 (1970), pp.221 242. A manuscript copy of the index is in the Public Record Office, Dublin (Ref. M.4879) and a microfilm copy of the Carrigan collection is in the National Library of Ireland, Dublin (Ref N.480 P.902). | |||
"The Episcopal wills from the transcripts were published in full by Canon Carrigan in Archivium Hibernicum, vols. I to IV. Further wills and abstracts from the same source appear in “History and Antiquities of the Diocese of Ossory,” in Borris in Ossory An Irish Parish and Its People, by Hilary D. Walsh, F.S.C., and in various diocesan histories." | |||
==== <br>W. O. Cavenagh ==== | |||
Lt. Col. W. O. Cavenagh made numerous transcripts of many Cavengah and related families wills. These are typescript and contained in the Genealogical Office Mss. 471. This was microfilmed by the Family History Library on FHL microfilm 100,178. | |||
==== Commissioners for Inland Revenue ==== | |||
In 1796, the Legacy Duty Act (36 Geo. III c.52) was passed allowing for a tax payable on legacies and residues of personal estates. In 1815, the Stamp Act (55 Geo. III c.184) extended this to include money legacies and residues bequeathed in wills that would subsequently be raised from the sale of estates. While in England genealogists generally use the registers created during this period to ascertain which court a particular will was proved in, the Irish genealogist uses them to find often the only surviving information from the probate. | |||
The Inland Revenue Office in London received copies of Irish wills proved in the Prerogative Court of Armagh and all Irish diocesan courts for the time period 1828 1879. From these, there were abstract books and indexes for both the wills and administrations created. The will indexes survive for the time period 1828 1879. The administration index for the years 1828 1829; 1832 1850; 1852 1879. The will abstracts survive for the time period 1828 1839 and the administration abstracts for the time period 1828 1839. The abstracts for the time period 1840 1879 are missing. For a list of the microfilm numbers of this collection in the Family History Library, see Table 4. The copies of the documents the abstracts were compiled from are unaccounted for. This collection supplements many of the wills which were destroyed during this time period and provides at least some information for virtually every record of probate. Remember that references to wills and administrations for which the indexes in a particular diocesan court may have been destroyed would be found in these registers. | |||
==== Philip Crosslé (1875-1953) ==== | |||
The Crossle Genealogical Abstracts were compiled by Philip Crossle. Many of the will abstracts relate to the Prerogative Court for the time period 1620 1804. These are handwritten abstracts and are somewhat difficult to read. In addition, they are mixed in with numerous abstracts of other material such as chancery bills and linear pedigrees. There are several Crossle collections deposited in various repositories and they are not all copies of the same material. | |||
The wills in the Crossle Collection deposited in the Genealogical Office, Dublin (G.O. Mss. 416 418) are indexed in Analecta Hibernica Vol. 17 published by the Stationery Office, Dublin. This collection is on two reels of microfilm at the Family History Library 100,176 item 1 (G.O. Mss. 417 418) for the "Drought" family and FHL microfilm 100,175 item 2 (G.O. Mss. 416) for families of various other surnames. | |||
The Crossle Collection deposited in the Public Record Office, Dublin is often referred to as the "Smith Books" since many of the extracts relate to the Smith family. These wills and extracts from the Prerogative Grant Books are not indexed in the volume 17 of Analecta Hibernica previously mentioned. This collection was microfilmed by the Family History Library in 1969 FHL 597,127 – 597,131. | |||
A third collection is deposited in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (Ref. T748 and T283). This collection is mostly will extracts for the time period 1671 1857. This material is indexed in the Report of the Deputy Keeper of Northern Ireland, 1925 Appendix F; 1933 Appendix B; and 1938 45 page 15. (See Wills and Their Whereabouts by Anthony J. Camp, London 1974). This collection was also microfilmed by the Family History Library in 1960, FHL 258,581 and FHL 247,318). | |||
Much of the material in the Crossle collection appears to be of families in the North of Ireland except for the "Smith Books" which appear to have Smith families from the whole of Ireland. | |||
==== J. N. C. Atkins Davis ==== | |||
Abstracts of wills made by J. N. C. Atkins Davis are indexed in Analecta Hibernica Vol. 17. Several of these wills are for the Prerogative Court. As with many of the collections, these relate to specific families with which the researcher was directly interested. The Davis collection is deposited in the Genealogical Office (G.O. Mss. 380 400) and is contained on two reels of microfilm FHL 100,143 and FHL 100,144. Much of the material is mixed with pedigrees and miscellaneous notes.<br> | |||
==== <br>Estate Duty Office ==== | |||
A collection of wills proved in English Courts listing executors with Irish residences was compiled from wills deposited in the Estate Duty Office in London. This collection has since been transferred to the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, Belfast. Most of these wills are for the Prerogative Court of Canterbury and are copies of English wills sent to the Stamp Office. The collection of wills with Irish residences listed for the executors includes an index for the years 1812 1857 and copies of the actual wills for the time period 1821 1857. The will copies for the time period 1812 1821 were previously destroyed. However, the original will may still be found in the court in which the will was proved. The Estate Duty Office collection has been microfilmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah. | |||
Abstracts similar to the collection compiled for the Commission of Inland Revenue (IR) are found in the English Death Duty Registers Ref. IR 26 (documents) and IR 27 (index). Currently, these are being microfilmed at the Public Record Office, Chancery Lane, London. These microfilms have been purchased by the Genealogical Society of Utah. | |||
==== D. O’Callaghan Fisher ==== | |||
This collection contains over 2,000 abstracts compiled by D. O'Callaghan Fisher circa 1859, many relating to the Prerogative Court. Information in the index is supplemented by information from the 26th Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records and Keeper of the State Papers in Ireland (1895). The collection is deposited in the Genealogical Office (G.O. Mss. 139 144, 281) and was microfilmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah FHL 100,172 index and FHL microfilms 100,173 – 100,174). | |||
==== John Joseph Greene ==== | |||
The Greene manuscripts contain prerogative wills for the family of Greene and were compiled by John Joseph Greene from 1891 1898. There are five volumes of abstracts that were deposited at the National Library of Ireland (Mss. 142 143; 149 151; 153 154; 156; 160; 170 172). A copy is also available at the Public Record Office of Ireland, Dublin. | |||
A cover letter to the collection gives details relating to the contents as follows:<br>"The Green collection in the National Library consists of 31 Ms. volumes for the most part fairly written. It was made by Surgeon Major afterwards Surgeon Colonel J. J. Greene, who investigated the history of a great number of Greene or Green and collateral families in the Public Record Office during the years 1891 98. The volumes may be roughly divided into two classes, the one containing information derived from Public Records which in the main no longer exist, and the other containing information derived from sources outside the Record Office. | |||
...Original Certified Copies issued from the Public Record Office: A volume entitled 'Wills & Admons 1632 1825' and another 'Wills & Admons 1819 1894.' These volumes mainly contain original certified copies of wills and Grants of Probate and Administration and a few Probate Office copies of Wills with some extracts of Wills and Letters of Administration. | |||
...Though the volumes mainly relate to various Greene or Green families, they are not confined to families of that surname and contain a great deal of information concerning various other families, the collection is particularly full of information concerning Waterford, Kilkenny, Limerick and Tipperary families." | |||
The collection was microfilmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah in 1950. The material relating to the Prerogative Court is mostly contained in Manuscripts 142 143; FHL microfilm 100,235 items 1 2). | |||
==== Hawkins ==== | |||
The "Hawkins Collection" consists only of an index to a collection of Prerogative Wills for the time period 1771 1852 that were discovered in the office of Mr. Hawkins after he retired as the Deputy Registrar of the Prerogative Court. Unfortunately, the "collection" was destroyed in the Public Record Office in 1922. The index to the collection is printed in the Index to the Prerogative Wills of Ireland 1536 1810, by Sir Arthur Vicars, Ulster King of Arms, pp. 510 511. The value of the collection is a list of wills which supplement the proved wills in the Prerogative Court. | |||
==== Irish Memorials of the Dead ==== | |||
The journal for the "Association for the Preservation of the Memorials of the Dead" listed a few miscellaneous wills for Ireland. Some of these were prerogative wills. The majority of these transcripts were published in the <br>journal from 1888 1934. These are available at the Family History Library as well as other major record repositories. This publication was mainly centered on collecting tombstone inscriptions, so the probates and other miscellaneous material is scattered throughout the volumes. | |||
==== Alfred Irwin ==== | |||
This collection of Prerogative Wills was compiled by Sir Alfred Irwin and indexed in Analecta Hibernica Vol. 17. However, since the will abstracts themselves did not always identify the abstract as taken from the Prerogative Court, this defect is carried over into the index. The collection is mixed in with pedigrees and miscellaneous notes and is handwritten for the most part. The Irwin collection was deposited in the Genealogical Office (G.O. Mss. 432 435 and 438) and was microfilmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah in 1949. It is on FHL microfilms 100,145 (G.O. Mss. 432 435) and microfilm 100,146 (G.O. Mss. 438). | |||
==== Edmund Walsh Kelly (1857-1940) ==== | |||
Abstracts of wills made by Edmund Kelly are indexed in Analecta Hibernica Vol. 17. Several appear to be from the Prerogative Court and many of the wills are for the surname "Kelly." This collection is also deposited in the Genealogical Office (G.O. Mss. 415) and is available on FHL microfilm 100,175. | |||
==== James B. Leslie (1865-1952) ==== | |||
The Leslie manuscripts were compiled by Canon James B. Leslie and there are several collections of his work deposited in the various record repositories of Ireland. Extracts of about 700 wills and genealogical notes on numerous families for the 17th 19th centuries are deposited in the Public Record Office Northern Ireland, Belfast (Ref. T1075). This collection is on microfilm at the Family History Library (microfilm 258,614–258,616). Details of this collection are given in the PRONI special list, no. 150. An additional collection of Canon Leslie's is deposited at PRONI (Ref. T305 and T305A). This collection is also on microfilm at the Family History Library (microfilm 247,319). | |||
A typescript list with manuscript annotations of 981 wills of the 17th 19th centuries is deposited at the National Library of Ireland (Ms. 1774). These are arranged alphabetically under the testators surname and summarize the dispositions of each will. A collection of abstracts of wills, exchequer bills, and some pedigrees mostly relating to families in counties Louth, Cavan, and Dublin is on microfilm at the National Library of Ireland (Ref. N526 P.799). This collection covers 17th 19th century material, but deals primarily with the 18th century. | |||
In his History of Kilsaran (county Louth), Rev. James B. Leslie listed many wills of residents in Appendix VI, pp.323 339. These will abstracts are mainly taken from the Prerogative, Drogheda, and Armagh courts. | |||
==== Hodson See Sadlier ==== | |||
==== Matthews ==== | |||
The Matthews collection contains over 300 abstracts of Prerogative wills and administrations relating to the Matthews family. It covers the time period 1597 1857 and is deposited at the Public Record Office Northern Ireland, Belfast (Ref. T681). | |||
==== Alfred Molony ==== | |||
The Alfred Molony collection mainly relates to wills for the surname "Molony" and the abstracts were taken from the Prerogative Court and the diocesan courts of Limerick and Killaloe. Entries from this collection are indexed in Analecta Hibernica Vol. 17 (FHL# 941.5 B2ah). This collection is in the Genealogical Office (G.O. Mss. 456 466) and is on FHL microfilm 100,149 (G.O. Mss. 456 457) and FHL microfilm 100,150 (G.O. Mss. 460 466). | |||
==== Phillips ==== | |||
The Phillips collection is deposited at the Public Record Office, Dublin and was microfilmed in January, 1951 by the Family History Library (microfilm 101,018). The collection consists of testamentary documents, original wills and administrations. It is alphabetically arranged by box and there are several boxes to each roll of microfilm. A collection of "Large wills in the Prerogative Office" was also microfilmed (FHL microfilm 101,027) and has an index at the beginning. These are contained in the Phillips Mss. Vol. 214.<br> | |||
=== Web Sites === | === Web Sites === | ||