Missouri Probate Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
'This collection includes probate records created by county courts including wills and records of estates. Most of the records in this collection fall between 1840 and 1930, but the content and years of the court records varies by county. In a few instances, if the court heard other cases in addition to probate, such as civil disputes or even some criminal matters, the records are mixed in with the probate records. In addition to this collection of images of records filmed by FamilySearch, estate files from Cole and Andrew counties scanned at the Missouri State Archives in Jefferson City, Missouri are published in a separate collection, Missouri, Andrew and Cole County Estate Files, 1826-1945.

For a list of records currently published in this collection, select the Browse link from the collection landing page.

Record Content
Probate records include petitions, inventories, accounts, decrees, and other court documents. Information found in entries includes:


 * Name of testator or deceased
 * Names of heirs such as spouse, children, and other relatives or friends
 * Name of executor, administrator, or guardian
 * Names of witnesses
 * Residence of testator
 * Document and recording dates (Used to approximate event dates i.e., a will was usually written near time of death.)

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know the following:


 * The place of residence
 * The approximate death or probate date
 * The name of the deceased

Search the Collection
To search the collection ⇒Select the Browse through images link in the initial search page ⇒Select the appropriate "County" ⇒Select the appropriate "Volume Title and Year" which takes you to the images.

Look at each image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination. Keep in mind:
 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name.
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name.
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life.

Using the Information
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. Add this new information to your records of each family. For example:


 * 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.
 * Use the occupations listed to find other types of records such as employment or military records.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * You may be able to use the probate record to learn about


 * Adoptions or guardianship of any minor children and dependents
 * Land transactions.


 * Compile the entries for every person who has the same surname as the deceased; this is especially helpful in rural areas or if the surname is unusual.
 * Continue to search the records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives who may have died in the same county or nearby. This can help you identify other generations of your family or even the second marriage of a parent. Repeat this process for each new generation you identify.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Wills are more likely to be found in rural communities than in larger cities and industrial areas.
 * The information in the records is usually reliable, but depends upon the reliability of the deceased or the testator.
 * Earlier records may not contain as much information as the records created after 1900.
 * There is also some variation in the information given from one record to another record.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?

 * Check for variant spellings of the surnames.
 * Check for an index. There are often indexes at the beginning of each volume.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearby counties.

Related Websites

 * Missouri’s Judicial Records
 * Clinton County, Missouri: Free Public Records Directory

Related Wiki Articles

 * Missouri Probate Records
 * Missouri

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Record collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.