Wills, probate and estate records can be the best family history records you ever find. Additionally, understanding your female ancestors rights with regard to land ownership, dower rights, and their place in society at the time, can help you know how to find women in the records to help with your family tree. In this episode, we explore what to look for in wills, estates, understanding probate, land, vital records, civil law vs. common law states and tying the records together. Learn the definitions of the language used in legal documents. Learn where to find women prior to the 1850 census, when women and children were not named in the census records. Guest Judy Russell, The Legal Genealogist, explains it all.
Academy members – Use this link below to watch the replay of Connie’s presentation from September 2, 2026 on Grouping DNA Matches on Ancestry.com https://genealogytv.org/courses/2026-academy-exclusive-lessons/lessons/grouping-dna-matches-on-ancestry-com/
Reposting one of the more popular recent episodes with tried-and-true strategies in genealogy research. Most genealogists start with the “Big Four” record groups—census, vital, land, and probate. But what happens...
