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Finding Probate Records

Finding Probate Records

Probate records are some of the most valuable, informative genealogical records you will come across. There are several different kinds, and each one can tell you previously unknown things about your ancestors. You may find probate records that are simple inventories of estates, wills with varying amounts of personal information in them, and legal records from proving the will (and sometimes, contesting it). Probate records let you know what things your ancestors owned, how much money they had, how well they lived, and their family connections. If a will names children, grandchildren, parents, siblings, in-laws, and friends, as they often do, this information will allow you to confirm suspected relationships and learn new ones.

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Wills Galore! Using the New U.S. Wills Collection on Ancestry.com

Wills Galore! Using the New U.S. Wills Collection on Ancestry.com

Ancestry.com just released a collection of millions of wills from around the nation going back to the 1700’s and up through the 1990’s. This is a really amazing collection, because it includes wills that have never been published online prior to this. In the past, you would have had to travel to the courthouse where the will you were seeking was located and search for it in person, or see if the court staff would do a search by phone for you (which often came with a hefty fee for the use of the court’s time in searching for you for a will that may or may not exist). Now, with this new collection, you can discover many new and interesting wills for your family without having to leave home to do it.

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History of the US Passport Application

History-of-the-US-Passport-Application

The United States began issuing passports during the American Revolution, before the war was won, but after independence was declared. The design of the first U.S. passport was created by Benjamin Franklin, and consisted of a sheet of paper that was printed on one side with a description of the person who bore it. These initial passports were issued by American consular officials and were typically valid for three to six months’ worth of travel.

After the war, the Department of State began issuing passports. However, states, and even some notaries, were allowed to issue them, too. Sometimes, passports were even issued by states for people to visit other states. This was most frequently used among free African Americans in northern states who wished to visit relatives in southern slave states, to ensure they would not be mistaken for runaway slaves and imprisoned during their travels. States and notaries issued passports for foreign travel, too. However, the many different types of passports issued in the United States caused confusion with foreign countries.

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