Build Your Family Tree

Lynne Butler

Description

AUTHOR'S COMMENTS:
I'm writing because I had an idea for a new book called Using Historic Wills and Probate Records to Build Your Family Tree. This idea grew out of an invitation I had some time ago from the local family history society to give a talk on the subject.
I mentioned the general topic of using wills as a resource in some genealogy groups that I'm in (Facebook etc) and it generated quite a bit of interest. I think, based on feedback from those groups and from my presentation, that people underestimate how much genealogical information they can find in wills and in any event they simply don't know where to find the wills.
I should also mention that a couple of years ago I self-published a book about 19th century wills in Newfoundland called "Sound Mind and Memory". It was basically a history of how we got where we are now with wills and probate law. Though a book like that is never going to be a best-seller, it created a satisfying stir among local historians and I got some fabulous positive feedback from them, I mention this really to demonstrate how much time I've spent digging through dusty old wills for research purposes.
I've attached an outline of what I think the book should cover. As always, I expect I'll think of more sub-topics as I go, but it's pretty detailed..
Originally as I developed this outline I considered talking about searching international sources as well as Canadian, given that everyone came from somewhere else. I ended up removing those potential chapters because the topic was getting so big. Searching international sources could almost be books of their own. What do you think about including international searches? When I presented the topic locally, I concentrated on Canadian and UK sources because our local population is so homogenous. My question, though, would be where to draw the line. After all, Canada has immigrants from every country and continent.
As always, I want this book to be practical and a really useful guide for people.
I've often checked for books on this topic. I have found several American ones but so far not a Canadian one. Given that our legal and court systems are nothing like the Americans, those books are of no value to anyone wanting to search Canadian records.
I realize that Self-Counsel books are known for their "extras" that come in the download. I have at least two checklists to add that I already use myself. One is a summary of a found will where I record what was in the will (variations on the name, relationships, date, place, occupation, citation/location of the will, etc). Attached to that is a "check next" list where I make quick notes about new clues to follow up as a result of reading the will. Then I check them off as I do them.
The second resembles an excerpt from a family tree in that it starts with the testator in the middle then names any people/relations that were mentioned in the will. This makes it easy to pop the new info right into the overall family tree that the searcher is presumably working on.
I also anticipate creating lists and/or charts of various sources broken down by province. This could be really handy using the download because it could include links to click on.
I see this book as complementary to services like ancestry. Yes, they might find a will on the site, but would they know what they were looking at? Would they get the most out of that document that they could? This is especially true of probate documents that are usually written in shorthand that may not make a lot of sense without guidance.
Perhaps knowing that a will or probate record can be such a goldmine might encourage more people to seek out that kind of record.
I also hope that the book will open all kinds of doors for people who have been through a couple of big sites, didn't find that much, and don't really know where else to look.
The big sites only have a limited number of wills and many are American. There are treasure-troves of wills on smaller sites (e.g Chebucto Grand Banks site has tons of NL wills not found on the big sites). I don't know if people realize the value of hunting down those smaller sites and what great info they can find there.
Introduction
- A rich source of info
- Find new info as well as confirm facts/guesses
- Beyond the basic birth, marriage, death dates
- Helps fill in a robust picture of an individual
- Gives you new paths to explore
What kind of information can you to find in wills?
- Names of children
- Surnames of married daughters
- Names of son’s spouses
- Other relationships: grandchildren
- Other relationships: siblings, nieces, and nephews
- Adopted (formally and informally) children
- Step-children
- The deceased’s religion (Leads to parish, church records)
- Occupations
o Esquire
o Gentleman
- Clues about wealth, occupation, hobbies
- Birth places/immigration
- Family properties
Other hints in wills:
- Name of executor
- Names of witnesses
- Date and place of signing
- Groups/affiliations (Masons, guilds, churches, professional associations, volunteer groups, service/veterans groups)
Women’s wills
- Married Women’s Property Act
- Husband’s name and occupation
What can we find in probate records?
- Stories in applications (can be very detailed explanations of family arrangements)
- Names, addresses, relationships
- Inventories
o Indication of wealth
o Name and location of property
o Personal possessions provide clues

What are the various types of probate/administration and why does this matter?
- Probate of will
- Administration where there is no will (especially good for finding details of when various family members passed away)
- Latin abbreviations
- Legal seals
What resources about wills and probate are on different sites?
- The “big” sites (ancestry, familysearch, rootsweb, find-a-grave, etc)
Going beyond the big genealogy sites to find wills, death and family info
- Canada records
- Provincial resources
o Vital stats
o Local histories
- Historic sites re special groups, e.g. Acadians, war brides, veterans, etc
- Family name websites
- Fonds/correspondence from public figures or collectors
- Military and service records
- Town/city archives
- School/university archives and yearbooks
- Newspapers – legal notices
- Newspapers – local articles, announcements, social columns,
- Obituaries
- Law case reports
- Land records/maps
- Prison records
- Charitable organizations (particularly records of donations from estates)
Researching archives in person
- Tools (notebook, family tree chart, camera/phone)
- Bring pencils not pens
- May find photos
Books about the geographic area, the deceased’s type of work, events such as labour movement or suffrage, etc
Searching current court records in Canada
- How modern courts are structured and which level deals with probate
- Search methods for wills records by province
Search tips
- Various spellings of names, places
- Phonetic spellings
- Deciphering old, handwritten documents
- View original (or image of original) rather than transcript
- Start broad, then narrow it down
Terminology used in wills and probate records
- Testate/intestate
- Heirs/children
- Devise/bequest/legacy
- Imprimus
- Messuage
- Executor/executrix
- Testator/testatrix
- Per stirpes
- Issue
- Relic
- Real property vs personal property

Sujets

• Droit et juridique
• Wills
• LAW

Informations

• Publié par: Self-Counsel Press
• Date de parution: 15 octobre 2022
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781770405363
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

Build Your Family Tree
A guide for Canadians with local and global roots
Lynne Butler Lawyer
Self-Counsel Press (a division of) International Self-Counsel Press Ltd. USA Canada

Copyright © 2022

International Self-Counsel Press All rights reserved.
Contents

Cover

Title Page

Introduction

CHAPTER 1: Information You Can Find in Wills

Sample 1: Abstract of Will

1. Names of Children and In-laws

2. Extended Family Names and Relationships

3. Occupations

4. Post-nominal Letters

5. Family Properties

CHAPTER 2: More Useful Hints in Wills

1. Name of the Executor

2. Names of Witnesses

3. Women’s Wills

4. Primogeniture

5. Literacy

CHAPTER 3: Probate and Notarial Records and What to Look For

Sample 2: Abstract of Probate Record

1. What Does “Probate” Mean?

2. Indexes and Registries

3. Families Who Moved Away

4. Inventories

Sample 3: Abstract of Inventory

5. Explanations of Family Relationships

6. Surprising Information

7. Fiats

8. General Registers in Land Titles Registries

Sample 4: Abstract of General Registry

9. Orphans’ Registers

10. Renunciation Registers

11. Nontraditional Sources

CHAPTER 4: Searching Court Records in Canada

1. The Different Types of Probate and Administration

2. How Canadian Courts Are Structured and Which Level Deals with Probate

3. Some Useful Definitions

CHAPTER 5: Researching Archives in Person

Sample 5: Checklist for Archive Visit

1. Visiting Archives in Person

2. Some Things to Know before You Go

3. Copies and Photographs

4. Accessing the Records

5. What to Bring with You

6. What Not to Do

7. Fonds

Sample 6: Abstract of Family Fond

8. Abstracts

CHAPTER 6: Search Tips

1. Phonetic Spelling of Names

2. Meaningful Names

3. Punctuation

4. Deciphering Old, Handwritten Documents

5. Abbreviations

6. The Word “Estate”

7. Translations

8. Restrictions on Access

9. Notarial Records

10. Obituaries

Sample 7: Abstract of Obituary

11. Honour Rolls

12. Medical Examiners’ and Coroners’ Records

13. Gazettes and Statutory Notices

CHAPTER 7: Canadian Wills, Probate Records, and Related Resources

1. Library and Archives Canada (LAC)

2. Indigenous Estate Files at LAC

3. Canada Gazette at LAC

4. Soldiers of the First World War: Circumstances of Death Registers (LAC)

5. Ancestry.ca

6. FamilySearch.org

7. FindMyPast.com

8. Glenbow Archives: Métis Records

9. The Fur Traders

10. Aboriginal Veterans Tribute Honour List

11. ArchivesCanada.ca

12. The Canadian Jewish Heritage Network

13. Canadiana.org

14. Vancouver Public Library

15. RCMP Graves

16. Canadian Friends Historical Association

17. American-Canadian Genealogical Society

18. GenealogySearch.org

19. International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

20. Far From Home

21. Korea Veterans Association of Canada Inc

22. Veterans Affairs Canada

23. University of Calgary Archives

24. Interment.Net

25. MyHeritage.com

26. Canada Death Penalty Index

27. Persons Sentenced to Death in Canada 1867–1976

28. Blacksheepancestors.com

29. Mennonitische Rundschau Obituaries Index: 1930–2001

30. Mennonite Archives: Obituaries 1864–current

31. Lost at Sea

32. Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial Ribbon Society

33. Local Sources

34. InMemoriam.ca

CHAPTER 8: Alberta Records

1. Records Held at the Provincial Archives

2. EdmontonGenealogy.ca

3. Records to Be Found in Person at the Courts

4. Alberta Gazette

5. Archives Society of Alberta

6. Glenbow Archives

7. Canada Death Penalty Index

8. Mennonite Historical Society of Alberta

9. Calgary Chapter: American Historical Society of Germans from Russia

10. La Société généalogique du Nord-Ouest

11. Alberta Family Histories Society

12. Ancestry.ca

13. Interment.net

14. Alberta Strays

15. FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries

CHAPTER 9: British Columbia Records

1. BC Provincial Archives

2. Coroners’ Inquests at BC Archives

3. Government of British Columbia Wills Registry

4. Official Gazettes of the Province of British Columbia

5. Abbotsford Genealogical Society

6. British Columbia GenWeb

7. Chinese-Canadian Records at Vancouver Public Library

8. Additional Records at Vancouver Public Library

9. City of Vancouver Archives

10. Blacksheepancestors.com

11. FamilySearch.org

12. FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries

13. Ancestry.ca

14. Surrey Libraries: Cloverdale Branch

15. Canada Death Penalty Index

16. Victoria Genealogy Society

17. British Columbia Cemetery Finding Aid

18. Interment.net

19. BC Strays Obituaries

CHAPTER 10: Manitoba Records

1. Archives of Manitoba

2. Records at Manitoba Courts

3. Official Gazettes of the Province of Manitoba

4. University of Manitoba Digital Library Collection

5. Medical Examiner’s Records

6. FamilySearch.org

7. Ancestry.ca

8. Blacksheepancestors.com

9. GenealogySearch.org

10. Hudson Bay Company Archives

11. Canadiana.org

12. Manitoba Historical Society

13. Manitoba Genealogical Society, Inc.

14. Vancouver Public Library

15. Surrey Libraries: Cloverdale Branch

16. Mennonite Heritage Archives

17. Canada Death Penalty Index

18. Interment.net

CHAPTER 11: New Brunswick Records

1. Provincial Archives of New Brunswick (PANB)

2. The Official Gazette of the Province of New Brunswick

3. FamilySearch.org

4. Ancestry.ca

5. Wallace Hale’s Early New Brunswick Probate, 1785–1835

6. Brenan’s Funeral Home Records

7. Canada Death Penalty Index

8. Interment.net

9. New Brunswick Genealogical Society

10. GenealogySearch.org

CHAPTER 12: Newfoundland and Labrador Records

1. Provincial Archives of Newfoundland and Labrador (PANL)

2. Finding Wills and Probate Records at the Court

3. Newfoundland Grand Banks Genealogy Site (NGB)

4. Family History Society of Newfoundland and Labrador

5. Newfoundland and Labrador GenWeb

6. The Official Gazette of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador

7. MUN (Memorial University of Newfoundland) Digital Archives

8. Centre for Newfoundland Studies

9. Maritime History Archive

10. GenealogySearch.org

11. Labrador GenWeb

12. Ancestry.ca

13. Canada Death Penalty Index

14. American Ancestors (New England Historic Genealogy Society)

15. Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. John’s

16. Interment.net

CHAPTER 13: Northwest Territories Records

1. NWT Archives

2. Inuvialuit Cultural Centre: Digital Library

3. GenealogySearch.org

4. Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre

5. Northwest Territories Gazette

6. FamilySearch.org

7. CanadaGenWeb Cemetery Project: NWT

8. Canada Death Penalty Index

CHAPTER 14: Nova Scotia Records

1. Nova Scotia Archives

2. Medical Examiner Records at the Nova Scotia Archives

3. FamilySearch.org

4. Beaton Institute

5. Halifax Public Libraries

6. NovaMuse

7. Cape Breton Genealogy and Historical Association

8. NewBrunswick.net

9. Canadiana Héritage

10. Nova Scotia Gazette

11. Vancouver Public Library

12. FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries

13. Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia

14. Scott Manor House (Fort Sackville Foundation)

15. Ancestry.ca

16. Canada Death Penalty Index

17. Interment.net

CHAPTER 15: Nunavut Records

1. Government of Nunavut Archives

2. Office of the Public Trustee

3. MemorySask.ca

4. Land Titles Office

5. Ancestry.ca

CHAPTER 16: Ontario Records

1. Archives of Ontario

2. FamilySearch.org

3. Elgin County Archives

4. Ontario Office of the Chief Coroner

5. Cumberland Township Historical Society

6. Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS)

7. Port Hope, Ontario: A Living Past

8. Archives Association of Ontario (Archeion)

9. Waterloo Region Generations

10. City of Toronto Archives

11. Canadiana Research Knowledge Network

12. Vancouver Public Library

13. Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto

14. JewishGen.org

15. Centre de recherche en civilisation canadienne-française

16. FamilySearch.org Affiliate Libraries

17. OntarioFamilyHistory.org

18. OurOntario.ca

19. Ancestry.ca

20. Surrey Libraries — Cloverdale Branch

21. Blacksheepancestors.com

22. Canada Death Penalty Index

23. Interment.net

CHAPTER 17: Prince Edward Island Records

1. Public Archives and Records Office (PARO)

2. Court Records

3. PEIAncestry.com

4. PEI Wills Database

5. Farmers’ Bank of Rustico Museum Genealogical Centre

6. Canadiana

7. Vancouver Public Library

8. Archives Council of Prince Edward Island

9. FamilySearch.org Affiliate Library

10. The Ancestor Hunt

11. Ancestry.ca

12. Canada Death Penalty Index

13. Interment.net

14. Island Register

CHAPTER 18: Quebec Records

1. Bibliothéque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ)

2. Library and Archives Canada (LAC)

3. Wills Registries

4. Ancestry.ca

5. FamilySearch.org

6. Société de recherche historique Archiv-Histo

7. Dictionary of Canadian Biography

8. Blacksheepancestors.com

9. Eastern Townships Resource Centre

10. Québec Genealogical eSociety

11. Généalogie Québec

12. FamilySearch.org Affiliate Libraries

13. Université de Montréal

14. Canada Death Penalty Index

15. Interment.net

16. American-French Genealogical Society

CHAPTER 19: Saskatchewan Records

1. Provincial Archives of Saskatchewan

2. Saskatchewan Courts

3. The Archer Library, University of Regina

4. FamilySearch.org

5. Mennonite Historical Society o