Chasing Dead Ancestors

Adventures in Genealogy With Ancestry .com Week VIII – Tax, Criminal, Land and Wills

Written By: mic - Jul• 10•18

Tax, Criminal, Land and Wills

In 2014 there were over 1100 databases in the Ancestry catalogue having to do with Land, Tax, Court, Government and criminal records, as well as, Wills, Estates, Guardian, Bank and Insurance records.

Of the 1100 databases 897 were for the United States and 164 for the United Kingdom.

 

Collection Information

Court, land, wills, and financial records can be incredibly rich in detail due to the fact that family details and witnesses were often used to identify people. In this category, you’ll find indexes as well as some collections of actual records.

Court records can include wills, which include the names and addresses of family members, and details about your ancestor’s estate. Tax records will typically include information on taxable items your ancestor owned, as well as his or her income and address.

The right to own land was a great incentive for many of our ancestors to immigrate to the United States. In the days before civil registration, the record of their acquisition of property in some cases can help link generations, as that property passed from one generation to the next.

Financial and insurance records can be particularly helpful because they frequently contain personal details used to identify the person in question—details that presumably only that person or family members would know.

And if your ancestor ran afoul of the law, criminal records will records his transgressions, along with some personal details that may help you fill in your family tree.

While bureaucracy may not be popular with the people who have to navigate their way through it to buy land, probate an estate, pay taxes, manage finances, serve a sentence, or otherwise deal with red tape, the paper trails left behind can be incredible resources for family historians.

 

Search Tips

  • Because of the diverse nature of the records in this collection, start your search with the basics—name, residence. If you know a birth year, you can enter it to focus your search on records from your ancestor’s lifespan, but some of the collections in this category may not have indexed birthdates.
  • Browse available collections within this category or sort geographically to see which titles your ancestor’s could appear in, and then search them directly for best results. The search form for each collection will be tailored to the contents within that database.

 

Land Records Collection Information

 

Land records provide two types of important evidence. First they often document family relationships. Second, they place individuals in a specific time and place, allowing you to sort people and families into neighborhoods and closely related groups. One of land records’ most important qualities is that they are sometimes the only records that distinguish one person of a common name from another. Bounty land warrants can alert you to your ancestor’s military service and can contain details about the military unit in which he served.

The right to own land was a great incentive for many of our ancestors to immigrate to the United States.

In the days before civil registration, the record of their acquisition of property in some cases can help link generations, as that property passed from one generation to the next.

 

Search Tips

 

  • Look for clues in census records that might indicate land ownership. Censuses from 1850-1870 include questions about the value of real estate, and the 1910-1930 censuses asked about home ownership.
  • Your ancestor’s location in census records and the birthplaces of any children can suggest places where they may have owned land. For example, if your ancestors were born in Illinois, but their children were born in Indiana and Kansas, search for land purchase records for those three states. Use the birth dates and birth places of the children to suggest a possible range of land purchase years for each location.
  • A land record may contain important details about the landowner, so if you find a transcription or index entry for your family, look for the link to “Learn more” from the search results. Check the collection description for information on the location of the original records.
  • If your ancestor owned land in the U.S., you may be able to find the exact location in the S. County Land Ownership Atlases, 1864-1918or Historic Land Ownership and Reference Atlases, 1507-2000. Use “Browse” to select the state and county where your ancestor lived, then view the Table of Contents in the atlas to find the town you want

 

Featured data collections

Tax Collection Information

Taxes have been imposed by governments for many reasons and on many things. The records are diverse and you’ll find varying degrees of detail included. Taxes on land may include details on property owned, whereas a poll tax may only include a name, date, and location. In addition, while the items being taxed may be similar, the content of tax records may also vary from place to place.

 

The largest collection of tax records in this category is the U.S. IRS Tax Assessment Records which can contain details like occupation, luxury items or income being taxed, as well as the name and the residence of each person taxed.

In addition to placing your ancestor in a particular location at a specific point in time, tax records can give you a glimpse into your ancestor’s finances and allow you to see “luxury” items that he or she owned.

 

Search Tips

 

  • Like directories, tax records can be useful in placing your ancestor in a particular place at a specific point in time.
  • It’s important to know the nature of the tax and who should or should not be on it before you draw any conclusions about your ancestor’s appearance or disappearance in the records. Disappearance from tax records may indicate your ancestor moving out of the area, or it could mean that he was no longer required to pay that tax. For example, the ages of males required to pay a poll tax may have changed over the years and after reaching a certain age, perhaps your ancestor was no longer required to pay. Check collection descriptions and descriptive information in publications for more information on the tax records you are using.
  • Check the tax roll for everyone who shares the surname you’re looking for, since it may suggest family members living in the same area. If you’re not sure whether other people you find are related to your family, research their names for a possible connection.

Featured data collections

 

 

Wills, Probates, Land, Tax & Criminal

Collection Information

When citizens petition their government for aid, compensation, or recognition, the records that are created often not only include genealogically significant details, they also put our ancestors in the context of history. The affidavits and proof submitted can be rich in details and contain mentions of other family members.

If your ancestor ran afoul of the law, criminal records will records his transgressions, along with some personal details that may help you fill in your family tree. Even if you aren’t aware of any criminal behavior in your family, be sure to check these records. Details can include birth date and place, immigration information, sentence, date and place of trial, and more.

While bureaucracy may not be popular with the people who have to navigate their way through it, the paper trails left behind can be incredible resources for family historians.

This category includes records created by government agencies and commissions, as well as records created in response to criminal offenses—large and small.

 

Search Tips

  • In addition to searching for your ancestors in these collections, seek out their friends, neighbors, extended family, and other associates. You may find your ancestor mentioned as a witness or filing an affidavit.
  • Because of the diverse nature of the records in this category, it is helpful to search collections of interest individually. The search forms for individual collections may have searchable fields specific to the records within.

 

Featured data collections

 

 

Wills & Probates, Estates & Guardian Records

Collection Information

This collection consists primarily of indexes to the records. The full records are typically found at the local courthouse in the area where your ancestor lived. In some cases, you may also find records in state archives. Local genealogical and historical societies may have transcriptions of certain court records as well.

When you locate your ancestor in an index, be sure to locate the complete record, provided it still exists. Court records are typically rich in detail and can sometimes provide insights not found anywhere else. In the case of probate records, which may have been created over several years, multiple documents such as a will, estate description, guardianship papers, petitions, affidavits, and more, may be included in the packet.

The wills, estate, and guardianship records are a rich legacy left to you by your ancestors.

They will typically contain names of family members and relationships as well as a look at your ancestor’s financial standing. In cases where minor children were involved, guardianship records reveal who assumed responsibility for those children.

 

Search Tips

 

  • Wills and estate records often provide important details about a person’s family, including dates of birth or death and confirmation about family relationships. If you find a transcription or index entry, click on “Learn more” from the search result to learn how to order a copy of the original record.
  • Because many people shared the same names, it may be difficult to tell if a record is for your ancestor, even if it was created in a place where they lived. It can be helpful to research other people listed in the record for clues about their possible relationship to your family.
  • Don’t overlook records where an ancestor’s name appears as a witness or guardian in an estate record. A guardian appointed on behalf of a minor might have been a relative or close friend of the family. Researching other names found in your family’s estate may lead you to other family members.

Note:

A court creates probate records after a person’s death based on the contents of the deceased person’s will. Probate records dictate the distribution of the estate and the care of any dependents.

Records found in a probate packet

Wills

A will is a legal document outlining how a person wants their estate distributed after their death. A will generally contains the signature of the deceased, a description of the person’s land and property, and the names of heirs, witnesses, and guardians.

Petititions

To start a probate process, an interested party (someone affected by the will) must file a petition with the court to probate the will. Petitions usually include the heirs’ names, relationships, and residences.

Inventories

A probate inventory itemizes the possessions of the deceased and lists their worth. Probate inventories can contain details from the cost of bed linens and number of cows owned to personal items like watches, photos, and shaving tools.

Guardianship and orphans’ court records

A guardian is someone (usually a family member or close friend of the deceased) appointed by a court to be responsible for the interests of a child. These records often contain names of widows, children’s ages, and residential information.

 

Searching for probate records

 

  1. Click SEARCHand select Birth, Marriage, & Death.
  2. Input information and enter Probatein the Keyword
  3. Click Search

 

Featured data collections

 

 

Bank & Insurance Records   Collection Information

 

The core collections in this category are rich in detail and if you are fortunate enough to locate an ancestor in them, can not only lead to more records, they can give you a look at your ancestor’s financial picture. Other family members’ names are often included, as well as their location and whether or not they were alive at the time. Emigrant Savings Bank records also often included immigration information such as the year of arrival, ship name, and arrival port.

In the records of the U.S. Freedman’s Bank, names of spouses, children, parents, siblings, and even aunts and uncles can be found on the signature registers. Other information may include physical description, place of birth, residences, occupation, employer, and some earlier records will even include the names of former slave owners.

Bank and insurance records can be particularly helpful because they frequently contain personal details used to identify the person in question—details that presumably only that person or family members would know.

 

Search Tips

 

  • If you locate an ancestor in the Emigrant Savings Bank collection, search by his or her account number alone to bring up all references to the account.
  • Because these records sometimes include the names of other family members, it is helpful to be familiar with the entire family structure. This will help you to identify your ancestor in the records.
  • Some bank records can contain a wealth of information, including the names of family members, location of a previous home, a date of arrival in the country, occupation, residence, and even a place of birth.
  • If a bank record provides an immigration date or former country of residence, use the information to search in Immigration Records.
  • If you don’t find a record for your ancestor, try searching for a record for another family member such as one of their siblings.

 

Featured data collections

 

Ancestry DNA

DNA- Homepage

DNA- Story- Ethnicity Estimate

Discover Your DNA Story

Ethnicity Estimates

Migrations

View Your DNA Story Overtime

From 1700, 25 years at a time, through 1825

DNA Circles

View DNA Circles-  These People are already in my Tree (Mic’s Family Tree)

Lists how many people match that Circle ancestor

Circle members share DNA with other members of Circle

Circle members all have family tree evidence that they are direct descendants of an ancestor

Your DNA matches some or all members of this DNA Circle

Shows:

Descent

Descendant Group

Circle member Confidence

Relationship to Mic (DNA match to Circle or to Mic)

Relationship to Circle ancestor

New Ancestor Discoveries-potential ancestors or relatives

DNA Matches

View all

Shared Ancestor Hints

Starred Matches

1000 +  4th Cousins or closer

Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Adventures in Genealogy With Ancestry .com Week VIII – Tax, Criminal, Land and Wills

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.