Maine, York County, Probate Estate Files - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
This collection contains probate estate files from the York County Courthouse in Alfred. The files are arranged by case number and date.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Probate records include petitions, inventories, accounts, decrees and other court documents. *Name of the testator or deceased
 * Names of the heirs, such as spouse, children, other relatives, and friends
 * Name of the executor, administrator, or guardian
 * Names of witnesses
 * Residence of the testator
 * Dates the documents were written and recorded (used to approximate event dates since a will was usually written near the time of death).

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the deceased
 * The place of residence
 * Approximate death date
 * Date of probate

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

What Do I Do Next?
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details that can lead you to other records about your ancestors.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Use probate records to identify heirs and relatives
 * Use the document (such as the will) or the recording dates to approximate a death date
 * Use the information in the probate record to substitute for civil birth and death records since the probates exist for an earlier time period
 * Use the birth date or age along with the residence or place of birth of the deceased to locate census, church, and land records
 * You may be able to use the probate record to learn about adoptions or guardianship of any minor children and dependents
 * You may be able to use the probate record to learn about land transactions
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have died in the same county or nearby
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct
 * The information in the records is usually reliable, but depends upon the reliability of the deceased or the testator

I Can't Find the Person I'm Looking For, What Now?

 * Look for variant spellings of the names. You should also look for alias names, nicknames and abbreviated names
 * Look for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume. Local genealogical and historical societies often have indexes to local records
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby localities

Research Helps
The following articles will help you research your family in the state of Maine.
 * Beginning Research in United States Probate Records
 * Maine Guided Research
 * Maine Research Tips and Strategies
 * Step-by-Step Research

Other FamilySearch Collections
These collections may have additional materials to help you with your research.

FamilySearch Catalog

 * Estate files, ca. 1690-1917
 * Probate bonds, 1843-1868
 * Probate records, 1687-1938; index to probate records, 1687-1900
 * Deeds, 1642-1904; index to deeds, 1647-1905
 * Benjamin Lake Noyes, copied & typed. Abstracts from the unpublished deeds of York County, Maine, volumes 19-39, 1733-1800.

FamilySearch Historical Records

 * Maine, County Probate Records, 1760-1979

FamilySearch Digital Library

 * W.W. Clayton, History of York County, Maine : with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers Philadelphia, Pennsylvania : Everts & Peck, 1880

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.