WikiProject:Full Text Search Part A

Current Projects Page

Wills and Probates Database Part 1

Project Leader

Danielle

Purpose

Check the United States Wills and Deeds Experimental database to see if a county's probate and land records are included in the database.

Task List

• Task List

Step One - Choose a State

• From the tabs on the spreadsheet, choose a state to work on: Task List.

Step Two - Select a County

• Sign up for a county on the task list.

Step Three - Go to the Database

• Hold down the Ctrl button and click on this link: https://www.familysearch.org/search/textprototype/.
• It will open a new tab and take you to the database.

Step Four - Search the Database for the County and the State

Do the following:
1. Type in the county name in the Keyword field then click on Search. For example, Autauga

2. A list will appear of all of the states that county's name is in. Find the state you are working on and click on the box. For example, choose Alabama.

3. You will now see a list of counties for that state. Find the county you typed in and click on the box.

Step Five - Search for Land and Property

1. Below the list of counties, you will see another list called, Record Types. Find Land and Property and click on the box.
Note: if you do not see Land and Property, look for the "more" blue link under the last record type in the list and scroll down the page.

2. You are looking for the name of the county in the title of the records listed on the results list. In the example you see Autauga County Deeds and Mortgages. This indicates there are records for this county.
Other Land and Property keywords: Deeds, Mortgages, Land grants

3. If you do not see Land and Property records on the list, go to Step Six.
Note: Usually when there are not records for a county, you can tell be the county name is not in the title of any of the records.

Step Six - Search for Probate Records

1. Go back to Record Types and uncheckmark Land and Property.
2. Then, click on Probate.
Note: if you do not see Probate, look for the "more" blue link under the last record type in the list and scroll down the page.

3. You are looking for the name of the county in the title of the records listed on the results list. In the example you see Autauga County Probate, this indicates there are records for this county.
Other Probate keywords: Wills, Estates, Inventories, Letters Testamentary, Letters of Administration

Step Seven - Show Preview and Save the Page

• Click Show Preview to make sure it looks good and the link works.

• Enter in
  

/* Land and Property Records */ Added Land Grants database 

as the Summary.

• Click Save Changes.
  
  

Step Five - Go back to the Task List

• Go to the Task List and add the date next to your name.
• Choose the next county to work on.

Example

• Here is the Alamance County.