FamilySearch Wiki:WikiProject Pennsylvania/Tasks-Probate Cyndi's List

WikiProject Pennsylvania Progress Chart  Pennsylvania Wiki Project Task - Probate Cyndi's List

Task
Wiki Project Pennsylvania Tasks - Probate Cyndi's List Task

Description
Search pertinent probate databases located on Cyndi's List and add them to the county page.

Instructions
1. To locate available probate, wills, or estate records, go to http://www.cyndislist.com and click on “Categories.” On the Categories page, select Pennyslvania which is under the heading “United States.” Select “Counties” and then the appropriate County. Choose “Wills &amp; Probate” from the “Category Index” on the County page.

2. If there is no "Wills &amp; Probate" listed under the county, there is nothing available on Cyndi's List and you are now done with the task.

3. If there is a "Wills &amp; Probate" title listed, click on the link and determine:


 * a. Check to see if the link is already listed on the county page. Many Ancestry databases are listed here.


 * b. If the link works. If it doesn't, do not include it.


 * c. Examine the information in the database to see if it is worth listing on the wiki. It will be your decision as to if it is worthwhile to list the database.

4. If the database looks helpful and it has not already been added, add the following (if it has not already been added) after the Probate Records heading and the PA Probate Intro:


 * Online Probate Indexes

6. Under your new heading, list the database(s) in chronological and then alphabetical order (if there are other databases on the county page) in the following manner:


 * :*Luzerne County, Will Book 1, located on Cyndi's List - also includes year will was probated and residence of deceased

7. If there is information about the database that you would like to add (i.e., index only, not complete, etc), add it to the end of entry.

8. If there are dates listed in the title of the database, repeat the dates just after the bullet in bold:


 * :*1878-1939 - Will Index, Lackawanna County, located on Cyndi's List - also includes deceased's death date

Example
Online Probate Indexes


 * 1878-1939 - Will Index, Lackawanna County, located on Cyndi's List - also includes deceased's death date
 * Luzerne County, Will Book 1, located on Cyndi's List - also includes year will was probated

Example of Completed Probate Records Heading
Probate matters in Berks County, Pennsylvania are handled by the Orphans' Court. To obtain original probate records, contact the Orphan's Court in the County Courthouse.

In addition to wills and administrations, the Orphans' Court also handles: audits of accounts of executors, administrators, trustees, and guardians; distribution of estates of decedents, incompetents, and minors; appointment and control of guardians; adoptions; appeals from the Register of Wills involving probate matters; inheritance tax appeals and various petitions and motions.

Online Probate Indexes


 * 1626-1836 – Pennsylvania Wills, 1626-1836 on Ancestry. Taken from Fernow, Berthold, comp. and ed. "Calendar of Wills." New York, NY, USA: 1896. - ($).
 * 1878-1939 – Will Index, Lackawanna County, located on PAGenWeb - also includes deceased's death date

Online Probate Records

Original probate records for some Pennsylvania counties are available free online as digital images at FamilySearch.org. The dates vary significantly for each county and not all counties are listed. Some counties may only have probate indexes. This Pennsylvania collection of images may be browsed through the links listed below:

Complete Collection:


 * 1683-1994 – at FamilySearch.org

Berks County Only:


 * 1752–1915 – Berks County Probate Records

Original Probate Records on Microfilm


 * 1752–1860 – Wills - Index included: 1752-1915
 * 1752-1851 – Administration Letters and Bonds - Index included: 1752 - 1915
 * 1752-1915 – Estate Files - Arranged alphabetically by surname

Additional Probate Indexes and Abstracts

Additional probate indexes or abstracts can sometimes be found using search phrases such as Berks County Pennsylvania probate wills in online catalogs like:


 * Historical Society of Pennsylvania
 * WorldCat (For instructions see WorldCat Online Catalog).
 * (For instructions see FHL Catalog Place-name Search).