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== Record Synopsis == | == 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, [[ | 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 the [[Probate Process|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 [https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/United_States_Probate_Records United States Probate Records]. | ||
{{Template:US-probate-topic_bar}} | {{Template:US-probate-topic_bar}} | ||
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Variations existed within counties as probate jurisdictions and county boundaries changed over the years. | Variations existed within counties as probate jurisdictions and county boundaries changed over the years. | ||
Colonial | Colonial records may also be found in New York and Pennsylvania | ||
State ,br. | State ,br. | ||
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==== Regional ==== | ==== Regional ==== | ||
Bureau of Archives and Records Management | |||
Hall of Records | |||
Dover, Delaware 19902 | |||
The Bureau has records from the Swedish colonial period, the Dutch settlement, the Duke of York, and the Penn proprietorship. Most of their records are from statehood. | |||
==== National ==== | ==== National ==== | ||
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==== Published Materials ==== | ==== Published Materials ==== | ||
*''The First Laws of the State of Delaware ''4 vols. (1797) Reprint Wilmington Delaware: Scholarly Resources | |||
*Anne Roach, ''[https://fch.ldschurch.org/WWSupport/Courses/FamilyHistoryLibraryExport/Goldmine__Beyond_the_Court_Order_Book/Player.html Courthouse Records Overview]'' (35 minute online video) [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/education/frameset_education.asp?PAGE=education_research_series_online.asp%3FActiveTab=2 FamilySearch Research Classes Online], 2010.<br> | *Anne Roach, ''[https://fch.ldschurch.org/WWSupport/Courses/FamilyHistoryLibraryExport/Goldmine__Beyond_the_Court_Order_Book/Player.html Courthouse Records Overview]'' (35 minute online video) [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/education/frameset_education.asp?PAGE=education_research_series_online.asp%3FActiveTab=2 FamilySearch Research Classes Online], 2010.<br> | ||
*Rose, Christine.''Courthouse Research for Family Historians: Your Guide to Genealogical Treasures.'' San Jose, California: CR Publications, 2004. Of particular interest are the chapters, "Estates Galore," "Estate Documents," "Milking Every Clue from Estates," and "Strategies that Work." {{FHL|1202197|item}} | *Rose, Christine.''Courthouse Research for Family Historians: Your Guide to Genealogical Treasures.'' San Jose, California: CR Publications, 2004. Of particular interest are the chapters, "Estates Galore," "Estate Documents," "Milking Every Clue from Estates," and "Strategies that Work." {{FHL|1202197|item}} | ||
*Szucs, Loretto Dennis and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking, editors. ''The Source: A Guidebook to American Genealogy.'' Third edition. Salt Lake City, Utah: Ancestry, Inc., 2006. Of particular interest is the section, "Probate," pages 268 - 277. {{FHL|1211475|item}} | *Szucs, Loretto Dennis and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking, editors. ''The Source: A Guidebook to American Genealogy.'' Third edition. Salt Lake City, Utah: Ancestry, Inc., 2006. Of particular interest is the section, "Probate," pages 268 - 277. {{FHL|1211475|item}} | ||
*Virdin, Donald O. Colonial Delaware Wills and Estates to 1880; An Index. Bowie, | |||
==== Websites ==== | ==== Websites ==== | ||