In this lesson we talked about why probate packages should always be a part of your research process. Even if a person died without a will, you should always search for a probate packet because there might be the settlement of an estate for someone who died “intestate.” These records can be a wealth of information.
Note: In the Q&A section at the end of the video, please know that some students asking questions do not have their camera turned on, so you may see a blank screen although you can still hear their question.
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North Carolina Wills: A Testators Index 1665 – 1900
Black’s Law Dictionary 1891 Reprint
Ancestry’s Concise Genealogical Dictionary
Online “The Law Dictionary” (Free)
Intestate – Died without a Will.
Testate – Died with a Will.
“A Copy Teste” – A copy of an original document.
“Prest.” – “In old English law. A duty in money to be paid by the sheriff upon his account in the exchequer, or for money left or remaining in his hands.” 1
Dower Rights – Typically 1/3 of her husband’s estate when he died.
Decd – Deceased
Testis – Latin for Witnesses Reference Materials
Mansion House – Does not mean that they have a mansion in today’s terms, it means the main residence house. There may be other outbuildings.
Administrator – An appointed legal representative of an estate in charge of distribution of the property.
Administratrix – A female administrator.
Executor – A person named in a will and appointed by the probate court to settle an estate.
Executrix – A female executor.
Wills & Probate Locations By State Handout
U.S. State Archives Digital Collections Online – Handout REVISED 6-12-22
1 – Oxford Languages via Google Search.