Iowa, Fayette County Probate Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

What is in This Collection?
The collection consists of Fayette County probate case files located at the Fayette County courthouse in West Union for the years 1851 to 1928.

General Information About Probate Records
Probate records are used to legally dispose of a person’s estate after his or her death. The probate process transfers the legal responsibility for payment of taxes, care and custody of dependent family members, liquidation of debts, and transfer of property title. The transfer is to an executor or executrix if the deceased had made a will, to an administrator or administratrix if the deceased had not made a will, or to a guardian or conservator if the deceased had heirs under the age of twenty-one or if heirs were incompetent due to disease or disability. Probate records fall into two general categories: wills and estate papers. Names of children may be given, as well as married names of daughters. Probate records may not give an exact death date, but a death most often occurred within a few months of the date of probate.

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

Probate
 * Name of testator or deceased
 * Names of heirs such as spouse, children, and other relatives or friends
 * Names of witnesses
 * Residence of testator
 * Lists of belongings, property, and so forth
 * Document and recording dates (Sometimes the date of death will be given. Recording dates are also used to approximate event dates, i.e. a letter of administration was usually written shortly after the time of death.)

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the individual
 * Approximate date and or location of the event
 * The names of relatives listed as heirs

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select the Record Type, Volume, and Date Range to view the images.

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.

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

 * Add any new information to your records
 * Use a probate record to identify guardians, heirs and relatives
 * Use a probate record to approximate a death date, then find a death certificate
 * For earlier years, use the probate record to substitute for civil birth and death records.
 * Use the information found in the record to find vital records such as birth, baptism and marriage
 * Use the information found in the record to find immigration and land records
 * Use the information found in the record to find additional family members in census records
 * Search for church records

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

 * If your ancestor does not have a common name, collect entries for every person who has the same surname. This list can help you find possible relatives
 * If you cannot locate your ancestor in the locality in which you believe they lived, then try searching records of a nearby town or county
 * Try different spellings of your ancestor’s name
 * Remember that sometimes individuals went by nicknames or alternated between using first and middle names

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

Related Family History Library Holdings

 * Fayette County. Probate records, 1851-1928 Case Files, no. 1-2732
 * Fayette County. Probate records, 1859-1978
 * Fayette County. Record of heirs and estates of descendants, 1862-1885

Related FamilySearch Historical Record Collections

 * Iowa, County Death Records, 1880-1992

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.