Another important research tool is the probate record. This includes a person's will, estate inventory, estate settlement and other records related to a person's passing. Unfortunately, many of our ancestors died intestate [without a will], so look for notification of that as well.
The will, dictated or written by the deceased, should include the following:
- date of the will and where written
- names of heirs [generally the kids are listed in birth order, but not necessarily] and
when they are entitled to their share
- frequently the testator will name "my eldest son," etc.
- unfortunately, the testator is just as likely to name the eldest son and lump the rest of
the offspring as "my other sons" or "my daughters"
- bequests to the heirs [wife, children, other relatives] and the division of the property
- wife [hopefully her name] and her share of the estate
- executor or executrix
- codicil [changes made to the will]
The will should have the names of witnesses and the recorder [with date recorded]
The inventory should include all property [real estate & personal estate] with name of people bequeathed or claiming certain property
The estate settlement should include final distribution of the estate [who got what], any documents contesting the will or otherwise related to the settlement
The probate file should help you narrow down the death date of the testator, give you the 1st name of the spouse, names of the children, if any of the kids are minors [upon reaching his/her 18th year, etc.], other family members, ages of kids, if kids are married [daughters' husbands], and numerous other details on the family.
Wills may turn up in unusual places. Benjamin Prall's will was never recorded. It was left with an innkeeper when Benjamin fell ill on a business trip. The innkeeper submitted the will after reading of Benjamin's death. The will and the innkeeper's affidavit were on file at the Hunterdon Co. Historical Society.
Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Tuesday, November 29, 2016
Getting Started: Public Land Survey System
As mentioned in yesterday's post, the 13 original colonies used a system of metes and bounds [landmarks] to map out property. States that were carved from the original 13 used the same system. [CT, MA, RI, VT, NH, ME, DE, MD, NY, NJ, PA, GA, VA, WV, TN, KY, NC, SC]
The following states use the PLSS plus a combination of metes and bounds, land grants or other formats: CA, HI, LA, NM, TX,WI, MI, WA, OR, ID, WY & Ohio [Virginia Military District & Connecticut Western Reserve.]
The rest use the PLSS. In this system townships of 36 square miles set up by baselines [E-W] & principal meridians [N-S]. Each township is divided into 36 sections of 1 square mile each. The township is bordered by range [N-S] & township [E-W] lines. Each section is divided into quarter-sections [NE, NW, SE, SW] of 160 acres each. The sections could also be quartered. [see the Wikipedia article or other pages explaining the PLSS for diagrams on how the townships and sections were divided.]
If a settler purchased a tract of land within the PLSS states, the land patent would read as follows:
W1/2NE of Section 20, township 21N, range 15E, 2nd Prime Meridian, State & County where purchased.
The Bureau of Land Management - General Land Office website offers a searchable database for land patents under the PLSS.
Arphax Publishing offers "Family Maps," a series of spiral bound books containing land survey [plat] maps for various counties in 24 states. These maps show the original patentee with the date of purchase. The books are a fantastic resource for locating ancestral property. You can locate the land and visit the site when in the area. Modern-day maps are also included in the book to help you locate crossroads and landmarks. [arphax.com]
The following states use the PLSS plus a combination of metes and bounds, land grants or other formats: CA, HI, LA, NM, TX,WI, MI, WA, OR, ID, WY & Ohio [Virginia Military District & Connecticut Western Reserve.]
The rest use the PLSS. In this system townships of 36 square miles set up by baselines [E-W] & principal meridians [N-S]. Each township is divided into 36 sections of 1 square mile each. The township is bordered by range [N-S] & township [E-W] lines. Each section is divided into quarter-sections [NE, NW, SE, SW] of 160 acres each. The sections could also be quartered. [see the Wikipedia article or other pages explaining the PLSS for diagrams on how the townships and sections were divided.]
If a settler purchased a tract of land within the PLSS states, the land patent would read as follows:
W1/2NE of Section 20, township 21N, range 15E, 2nd Prime Meridian, State & County where purchased.
The Bureau of Land Management - General Land Office website offers a searchable database for land patents under the PLSS.
Arphax Publishing offers "Family Maps," a series of spiral bound books containing land survey [plat] maps for various counties in 24 states. These maps show the original patentee with the date of purchase. The books are a fantastic resource for locating ancestral property. You can locate the land and visit the site when in the area. Modern-day maps are also included in the book to help you locate crossroads and landmarks. [arphax.com]
Monday, November 28, 2016
Getting Started: Deeds
Sorry readers, I missed a day over the holiday.
Land records are an important source in genealogical research. Deeds will give you a description of the land. The 13 colonies used metes and bounds [beginning at an oak tree 20 yards north of the property line of...] which can be tough to follow, but can give you the names of your ancestor's neighbors. Most of the remaining states used a township grid map. Township, range, section and quarter were the keys here. [An explanation of the grip later this week.] So you may find the following: the NE 1/4 of section 20, township 21N, range 15E of county X, state A. Much easier to locate on the map!
Check both the grantor [seller] and grantee [buyer] indexes for the name of your ancestor, or the family surname.
Record all names from the deed and try to find out how the people are related. Frequently relationships are given [son, in-law, brother, etc.]
In some cases, deeds may be key to probate questions. My ancestor, Cornelius Prall was not named as an heir in his mother's will. A Hunterdon Co., NJ deed resolved the issue. Cornelius' father had arranged for eldest son James to deed Cornelius his share of the family estate prior to his death.
Watch out for Junior, Senior, I, II, III and so on. The eldest John in the family will be Sr. or I until his death. Then the next eldest John becomes Sr. or I. Don't assume that all of the deeds referencing John Sr. refer to the same man, especially if the deeds span 40 or more years. [Unless the grantee is mentioned as a minor, assume he/she is of legal age, generally 18 or 21.
Deeds were not recorded until the land was disposed of by the owner. If your ancestor died in, say 1785 and you find his name under deed indexes 15-20 years later, check them out. The person who bought your family's land in 1770 may not have sold it until 1804 - when it was recorded.
Read the notes in the margins. Paper was at a premium in colonial times and even later. A paper-poor clerk might have recorded a birth or marriage that happened near the date of the deed. That birth or marriage might not be recorded anywhere else!
Land records are an important source in genealogical research. Deeds will give you a description of the land. The 13 colonies used metes and bounds [beginning at an oak tree 20 yards north of the property line of...] which can be tough to follow, but can give you the names of your ancestor's neighbors. Most of the remaining states used a township grid map. Township, range, section and quarter were the keys here. [An explanation of the grip later this week.] So you may find the following: the NE 1/4 of section 20, township 21N, range 15E of county X, state A. Much easier to locate on the map!
Check both the grantor [seller] and grantee [buyer] indexes for the name of your ancestor, or the family surname.
Record all names from the deed and try to find out how the people are related. Frequently relationships are given [son, in-law, brother, etc.]
In some cases, deeds may be key to probate questions. My ancestor, Cornelius Prall was not named as an heir in his mother's will. A Hunterdon Co., NJ deed resolved the issue. Cornelius' father had arranged for eldest son James to deed Cornelius his share of the family estate prior to his death.
Watch out for Junior, Senior, I, II, III and so on. The eldest John in the family will be Sr. or I until his death. Then the next eldest John becomes Sr. or I. Don't assume that all of the deeds referencing John Sr. refer to the same man, especially if the deeds span 40 or more years. [Unless the grantee is mentioned as a minor, assume he/she is of legal age, generally 18 or 21.
Deeds were not recorded until the land was disposed of by the owner. If your ancestor died in, say 1785 and you find his name under deed indexes 15-20 years later, check them out. The person who bought your family's land in 1770 may not have sold it until 1804 - when it was recorded.
Read the notes in the margins. Paper was at a premium in colonial times and even later. A paper-poor clerk might have recorded a birth or marriage that happened near the date of the deed. That birth or marriage might not be recorded anywhere else!
Saturday, November 26, 2016
Getting Started: More on Pension Files
A little more on pension files:
Soldier's pension: The vet has survived [1832 for Rev War] long enough to qualify for a pension. His service record will be included along with testimony from others who knew of his service. You may, or may not, find additional genealogical info. The veteran's date and place of birth should be included and his date and place of death [terminating the pension]. You may find marriages, spouses, and children mentioned, but don't count on it.
Invalid pension: Soldier was injured, wounded or sick and received a pension. His medical files and service record should be included. Documents filed by fellow soldiers, physicians, family members testifying as to his infirmity. Identify all of those people as to relationship to the vet!
Widow's pension: The surviving spouse of the veteran qualified for a pension. She had to provide proof of marriage, so look for marriage license or some similar document. Also, names of children, with birth info should be included. Documentation about the soldier [service record, affidavits, death record, etc.] should be included as well.
In any pension file, write down the name of every person mentioned in the documentation and find out how that person was related to the soldier or soldier's widow. Wes he/she a sibling, child, parent, cousin, step-relative, fellow soldier, family physician, spouse, in-law? You might be able to track down your person in the records of one of those folks!
Soldier's pension: The vet has survived [1832 for Rev War] long enough to qualify for a pension. His service record will be included along with testimony from others who knew of his service. You may, or may not, find additional genealogical info. The veteran's date and place of birth should be included and his date and place of death [terminating the pension]. You may find marriages, spouses, and children mentioned, but don't count on it.
Invalid pension: Soldier was injured, wounded or sick and received a pension. His medical files and service record should be included. Documents filed by fellow soldiers, physicians, family members testifying as to his infirmity. Identify all of those people as to relationship to the vet!
Widow's pension: The surviving spouse of the veteran qualified for a pension. She had to provide proof of marriage, so look for marriage license or some similar document. Also, names of children, with birth info should be included. Documentation about the soldier [service record, affidavits, death record, etc.] should be included as well.
In any pension file, write down the name of every person mentioned in the documentation and find out how that person was related to the soldier or soldier's widow. Wes he/she a sibling, child, parent, cousin, step-relative, fellow soldier, family physician, spouse, in-law? You might be able to track down your person in the records of one of those folks!
Friday, November 25, 2016
Getting Started: Military records and pension files
There are a plethora of military records available from the Revolutionary War on to our most recent conflicts. Check leading websites [Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, WorldVitalRecords.com and others] to see what military records are available. Fold3.com is dedicated to military records and is an excellent starting point. The site has a seven day free trial to help your preliminary search.
Rev War: Service records for Continental Line [regular army] soldiers. Pension files [soldiers, invalid, widows] for Line service. Bounty Land Warrants [land offered to veterans in lieu of pay, generally in Ohio for this war.] Your soldier may have done most of his service with a local militia unit, which did not qualify him for a pension. However, if his militia company was temporarily assigned to a Continental Line Regiment, then he qualified for a pension. Consult State Archives for lists of servicemen. Some of these are online. Maryland has a superb online website for its Revolutionary War records. Check local histories for names of soldiers. Valleyforgemusterroll.com has information on those soldiers who were at the Valley Forge encampment. Rev War pension files are available on microfilm at the Family History Library in Salt Lake and on Fold3. The Daughters of the American Revolution has a patriot search for veterans that have qualified their female ancestors for membership. Military service and civilian service qualified for the DAR. If an ancestor supplied food or clothing to the Army, served in Congress [US or Provincial] or otherwise leant aid and comfort to the Patriot cause, they qualified for the DAR. You can also search for you patriot on the Sons of the American Revolution site.
Civil War: Service records, enlistments, pension files are available. Some records are available online. Fold3 has pension cards that will give you the file number needed to order the files. The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System is an excellent site for locating your CW veterans. The Grand Army of the Republic and Sons of Veterans of the Civil War organizations may also offer some help. State Archives offer information on soldiers. The Roll of Honor of the Army of the Republic [book series] is worth a look. For Confederate records consult Fold3 and other sites. Check with the Archives of those states that made up the CSA.
War of 1812: Pension files at FHL and Fold3. Check state resources for soldiers' records.
Pre-20th century military records are available at the National Archives in Washington DC. Post-20th century military records are stored in the NARA branch in St. Louis. Some records were destroyed by fire. Ancestry.com and other sites have draft and enlistment records.
If you need a Civil War service or pension file or file from other military service after 1783, I would recommend that you contact a professional genealogist in the DC or St. Louis area. NARA copy fees have sky-rocketed in recent years. If you have the file number and soldier's name [or widow's] a researcher can go to the repository and copy the file for you. Travel, copy fees, hourly rate and postage will still be cheaper than ordering from the NARA.
Rev War: Service records for Continental Line [regular army] soldiers. Pension files [soldiers, invalid, widows] for Line service. Bounty Land Warrants [land offered to veterans in lieu of pay, generally in Ohio for this war.] Your soldier may have done most of his service with a local militia unit, which did not qualify him for a pension. However, if his militia company was temporarily assigned to a Continental Line Regiment, then he qualified for a pension. Consult State Archives for lists of servicemen. Some of these are online. Maryland has a superb online website for its Revolutionary War records. Check local histories for names of soldiers. Valleyforgemusterroll.com has information on those soldiers who were at the Valley Forge encampment. Rev War pension files are available on microfilm at the Family History Library in Salt Lake and on Fold3. The Daughters of the American Revolution has a patriot search for veterans that have qualified their female ancestors for membership. Military service and civilian service qualified for the DAR. If an ancestor supplied food or clothing to the Army, served in Congress [US or Provincial] or otherwise leant aid and comfort to the Patriot cause, they qualified for the DAR. You can also search for you patriot on the Sons of the American Revolution site.
Civil War: Service records, enlistments, pension files are available. Some records are available online. Fold3 has pension cards that will give you the file number needed to order the files. The Civil War Soldiers and Sailors System is an excellent site for locating your CW veterans. The Grand Army of the Republic and Sons of Veterans of the Civil War organizations may also offer some help. State Archives offer information on soldiers. The Roll of Honor of the Army of the Republic [book series] is worth a look. For Confederate records consult Fold3 and other sites. Check with the Archives of those states that made up the CSA.
War of 1812: Pension files at FHL and Fold3. Check state resources for soldiers' records.
Pre-20th century military records are available at the National Archives in Washington DC. Post-20th century military records are stored in the NARA branch in St. Louis. Some records were destroyed by fire. Ancestry.com and other sites have draft and enlistment records.
If you need a Civil War service or pension file or file from other military service after 1783, I would recommend that you contact a professional genealogist in the DC or St. Louis area. NARA copy fees have sky-rocketed in recent years. If you have the file number and soldier's name [or widow's] a researcher can go to the repository and copy the file for you. Travel, copy fees, hourly rate and postage will still be cheaper than ordering from the NARA.
Thursday, November 24, 2016
Getting Started: Gathering Evidence from Local Histories & Biographies
Local histories and biographies can be a big asset to your research. The "mug book" is one type of local history. Many of these were celebrating the centennial anniversary of a county. Often prominent families paid to have articles included on their ancestors. Some good info can come out of these books. The better option is a general history of a county or town published by a local historian. These histories can include some choice tidbits on a family such as when they arrived in the area, where they lived, occupation, offices held and many others. If the book is indexed, your search will be easier. Most have been indexed, either by the author or the local genealogical/historical society. In some cases you may find a separate index to several local histories.
Frequently, the local histories are accompanied by a biographical section. The biographies are generally of people of some note in politics, local business, early settlement, military service and so forth.
You may find one of your direct line in the bio of a collateral ancestor [sibling, in-law, cousin, etc.] There might be a brief mention of your individual or you could hit the jackpot with a 3-4 generation look at the family.
As with all sources, double-check the facts.
Frequently, the local histories are accompanied by a biographical section. The biographies are generally of people of some note in politics, local business, early settlement, military service and so forth.
You may find one of your direct line in the bio of a collateral ancestor [sibling, in-law, cousin, etc.] There might be a brief mention of your individual or you could hit the jackpot with a 3-4 generation look at the family.
As with all sources, double-check the facts.
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
Getting Started: Gathering Evidence III
Today's topic is using family histories and genealogies. These can be great tools, but can also be a royal pain!
1] Look at the publishing date. The earlier the book was published the more likely that you will find errors. The author[s] were at the mercy of the technology of the time. Writing letters was the method of communication early on and travel to the sources of the material was not convenient for the researcher. Family lore was often given as fact. Family members were overlooked. Sources were limited.
2] Some genealogies were a disaster! Fraudulent genealogies were a problem from about 1880 to 1920 or so. Two of the primary culprits were Gustav Anjou and Horatio Gates Somersby. If you wanted to be related to a famous person with your surname or have connections to European nobility, it could be done with a few creative pieces of "evidence." There are a few webpages dedicated to listing fraudulent genealogies, check them out.
Other family histories were well-meaning, but poorly researched. In the early Lockwood Geneaolgy, nearly all Lockwood descendants were assigned to Robert Lockwood. His brother, Edmund, was all but ignored. Donald Lines Jacobus, an early noted genealogist, debunked the Lockwood work. As it turned out Edmund was the progenitor of the vast majority of the American Lockwoods. Harriet Woodbury Hodge's Some Descendants of Edmund Lockwood corrected errors in the original genealogy.
It was, unfortunately, common for authors to omit children or assign them to the wrong parents. The researchers were at the mercy of those people who supplied them with information. Wills, deeds, bounty land settlements and other documents that did not specify relationships led researchers to make incorrect assumptions as to how the people named in the documents were related. Two generations of my Pralls were mixed up for years, until more extensive research uncovered the true relationships. The St. John Genealogy had Samuel St. John as the son of Mathias III. An examination of deeds has led to the belief that Samuel was the son of Mathias II. The origins of the St. Johns in Europe is a whole other issue!
3] More current genealogies should be more reliable and contain information unavailable in the late 19th or early 20th centuries. But, don't bet on it. Rehashing detail from a century old family history can be very common.
Soooo.....
1] Check the sources cited in the genealogy and, if possible, consult those sources for accuracy and reliability.
2] Utilize documentation to form your own conclusions about questionable issues. [The St. John item from above, for example.]
3] Confirm details from earlier genealogies by consulting more recent sources [census, death records, town records, court and probate records] made available since the genealogy was published.
4] If another genealogy is listed as a source, consult the other genealogy for reliability and sources used.
1] Look at the publishing date. The earlier the book was published the more likely that you will find errors. The author[s] were at the mercy of the technology of the time. Writing letters was the method of communication early on and travel to the sources of the material was not convenient for the researcher. Family lore was often given as fact. Family members were overlooked. Sources were limited.
2] Some genealogies were a disaster! Fraudulent genealogies were a problem from about 1880 to 1920 or so. Two of the primary culprits were Gustav Anjou and Horatio Gates Somersby. If you wanted to be related to a famous person with your surname or have connections to European nobility, it could be done with a few creative pieces of "evidence." There are a few webpages dedicated to listing fraudulent genealogies, check them out.
Other family histories were well-meaning, but poorly researched. In the early Lockwood Geneaolgy, nearly all Lockwood descendants were assigned to Robert Lockwood. His brother, Edmund, was all but ignored. Donald Lines Jacobus, an early noted genealogist, debunked the Lockwood work. As it turned out Edmund was the progenitor of the vast majority of the American Lockwoods. Harriet Woodbury Hodge's Some Descendants of Edmund Lockwood corrected errors in the original genealogy.
It was, unfortunately, common for authors to omit children or assign them to the wrong parents. The researchers were at the mercy of those people who supplied them with information. Wills, deeds, bounty land settlements and other documents that did not specify relationships led researchers to make incorrect assumptions as to how the people named in the documents were related. Two generations of my Pralls were mixed up for years, until more extensive research uncovered the true relationships. The St. John Genealogy had Samuel St. John as the son of Mathias III. An examination of deeds has led to the belief that Samuel was the son of Mathias II. The origins of the St. Johns in Europe is a whole other issue!
3] More current genealogies should be more reliable and contain information unavailable in the late 19th or early 20th centuries. But, don't bet on it. Rehashing detail from a century old family history can be very common.
Soooo.....
1] Check the sources cited in the genealogy and, if possible, consult those sources for accuracy and reliability.
2] Utilize documentation to form your own conclusions about questionable issues. [The St. John item from above, for example.]
3] Confirm details from earlier genealogies by consulting more recent sources [census, death records, town records, court and probate records] made available since the genealogy was published.
4] If another genealogy is listed as a source, consult the other genealogy for reliability and sources used.
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