Records of the settlement of estates are sources frequently used
by genealogists. Their value lies in the fact that they often
document relationships, residences, and other life details
necessary to distinguish one individual from another. However
sometimes these records are not easy to use. Difficulties with
using these records generally result from the following: -
Changes in the law over time. What was true in 1850 may not have
been true in 1950 or 1750. - Frequent differences in the law
from one state to another. The law surrounding probate and
inheritance is governed by state statute. - An unawareness of
the precise legal meaning of specific terms. The law may use a
word in a different sense from a layman. We've discussed probate
records before in this column: - “Trientje's Testate Tidbits,” A
discussion of a 1920s - “Probate - An Introduction” This week we
take a slightly different approach. I recently came across a
book that provided me with a better understanding of probate in
the mid-nineteenth centu