Archival Resources: Probate Cases

Probate is defined as "The legal process in which a will is reviewed to determine whether it is valid and authentic. Probate also refers to the general administering of a deceased person's will or the estate of a deceased person without a will. The court appoints either an executor named in the will (or an administrator if there is no will) to administer the process of collecting the assets of the deceased person, paying any liabilities remaining on the person's estate and finally distributing the assets of the estate to beneficiaries named in the will or determined as such by the executor." Read more at: Probate Definition | Investopedia

If you can get your hands on an estate case or probate case, you will likely find a wealth of information. A probate file may contain the subject's last will and testament, itemized lists of possessions and real estate, financial documents, lists and testimonies of living beneficiaries and next of kin. The records may also include information concerning employment, burial, funeral services, and the residence(s) of the subject's spouse and children.

Below is an example of a Last Will and Testament, which was transcribed and uploaded onto Ancestry.com for public viewing. Notice the land descriptions in the second paragraph. Legal land descriptions can help genealogists to pinpoint the exact location of an ancestor's property. Wills often end up in title abstracts of properties and residences to demonstrate changes made to property lines over the years.

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According to The Dales of Eastern Shore Maryland and Tennessee, 1986, Clarice G Neil.

Last Will & Testament of John Dale, Senior (1723-1786)

In the Name of God Amen. This 29th day of September 1785. I John Dale Senior of Worcester County and State of Maryland, Being of sound and Perfect mind and memory, thanks be given to God, and Calling to mind the mortality of my body, and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make and order this my last Will and Testament that is to say Principally and first of all I give and Recommend my Soul into the Hands of almighty God that gave it and my Body I recommend to the Earth to be Buried in a Christian Like manor at the Discretion of my Executors hereafter Named and as touching our worldly Estate wherewith it hath boon Pleased God to bless me with in this life I give, demise and dispose of the same in the following manor and form:

Item: I give and Bequeath to my Son James Dale all my lands to the southernmost side of a dytch that leads down by Ephraim Catho------ and thence up and with the said dytch Till S74 West of Poles Will Strich and marked chestnut White Oak and from the said Oak N 68 W 49 Poles to intersect with a dytch that leads down by Seth Hardman Whaleys with all the appurtenances to the said lands belonging to him his heirs and assignees forever.

Item: I give and bequeath to my aforesaid Son James Dale one Cow & bottles after the decease of his mother to him his heirs and assignees.

Item: I give and bequeath unto my Son Jessy Dale all the land that I have in possession called Bear Quarter with all the appurtenances to the said lands belonging to him his heirs and assignees for ever.

Item: I give and bequeath unto my aforesaid son Jessey Dale one Sow and Pigs to him his heirs and assignees.

Item: I give and bequeath unto my Son John Milbourn Dale all the Remaining Part of my Lands with all the appurtenances to the said Lands Belonging, to him his heirs and assignees forever.

Item: I give and bequeath unto my aforesaid son John Milbourn Dale on Sow and pigs to him his heirs and assignees.

Item: I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Mary Dale one Bed and furniture, one Cow and Calf, two Ewe and Lambs, one Chest to her her heirs and assignees.

Item: I give and bequeath to my Daughter, Tabitha Dale one Bed and furniture, one Cow and Calf, two Ewe and Lambs, one Chest to her her heirs and assignees.

Item: I give and bequeath unto my aforesaid son John Milbourn Dale one Little Desk to him is heirs and assignees.

Item: I will and order that after my Debts and Legacies are paid the Remainder of my Estate be Equally divided between three of my Daughters Vis. Mary Dale, Martha Baker, & Tabitha Dale their heirs and assignees.

Item: I will and appoint my well Beloved wife Tabitha Dale and my Sons James Dale my only and sole Executors of this my last will and Testament.

Lastly I do hereby declare and confirm this to be my last will and Testament in Witness whereof I have here unto set my hand and affixed my Seal the Day and year First above written.          

 John Dale (seal)

Signed, Sealed, Published and Declared by the said John Dale to be his last will and Testament, In Presence of us:
Josiah Dale
Thomas Dale
Lipporah Baker

Worcester County. The 13th day of November Anne Dom. 1786 then came Tabitha Dale and made oath on the Holy Evangels of Almighty God that the foregoing Instrument of writing is the true and whole Will and Testament of John Dale late of Worcester County deceased that hath come to the hands of possession and that she doth not know of any other. ----Before John Wise Ref. W. W. C. Worcester County. The 13th day of November Anno Dom. 1786 then came Josiah Dale late of Worcester and Thomas Dale two of the subscribing witnesses to the foregoing last will and Testament of John Dale late of Worcester County deceased and made oath on the Holy Evangels of Almighty God that they did see the Testator therein named Sign and Seal this Will & that they heard him Publish Pronounce and declare the same to be his last Will and Testament that at the time of his signing he was to the best of their apprehensions of a sound and disposing mind memory and understanding and that they with Lipporah Baker the other subscribing witness to this will Respectively subscribed their names as witnesses to this Will in the Presence and at the Request of the Testator and in the presence of each other. Before John Wise Reg. W. W. C.

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The Benefits of Fresh Air in Education -- from the Champaign County Historical Archives blog

Here is a great post from the Champaign County Historical archives blog.  The post focuses on the "open air school movement" that occurred primarily during the decades between World War I and World War II.

Urbana Free Library local history and genealogy events for October 2014

Urbana Free Library local history and genealogy events for October 2014 

Workshops & Events

Town & Gown Speaker Series: Champaign County on Film

Wednesday, October 15 • 7:00 p.m. - 8:45 p.m.

Join us for a screening of films from the University of Illinois Archives and the Champaign County Historical Archives, which document local history and film-making.

The Town & Gown Speaker Series is sponsored by the Student Life and Culture Archives at the University of the Illinois and the Champaign County Historical Archives. For upcoming events in the series visit: https://publish.illinois.edu/townandgown/

Authors Panel

Thursday, October 23 • 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Join the Champaign County Historical Archives for an evening of stories as local authors present an informal panel conversation about the discoveries they have made in the Archives. Authors and notables include: Raymond Cunningham, Guy Fraker, Dannel McCollum, Perry Morris, Joseph Muskin, Dennis Roberts, Fred Schlipf, and Audrey Wells.

A light reception will follow the panel conversation. 

Children's Program: Discover Your Family's Story

Saturday, October 25 • 11:00 a.m. - Noon

Join the Champaign County Historical Archives and Children’s Services for a morning of historical sleuthing featuring kid friendly activities to discover and celebrate your family's story.  For children ages 5 and up and their families.

Workshop: Oral History for Genealogy

Saturday, October 25 • 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Shows how oral interviews can be used throughout family history research. Topics include using oral history to jump-start research; learning how to ask questions; strategies for scheduling, conducting, and transcribing interviews; producing audio-visual family heirlooms; and preserving oral interviews.

Workshops are FREE and open to the public. To register, please call the Archives at 217-367-4025

Champaign County (Illinois) Workshops

The Champaign County Historical Archives of the Urbana Free Library in Urbana, Illinois will host a number of genealogy workshops this spring. 

Information for the first workshop is located below: 

Ancestry.com: Beyond the Basics

Saturday, March 29   10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Instructor:  Steve Szabados

Ancestry.com is one of the largest and most important Genealogy websites. Its major databases are well known, however, it has many databases that are just as important but are rarely used. Steve Szabados will draw upon his experience to describe how you can find and unlock these databases. He will also review his techniques to simplify your research on Ancestry.com and make it more efficient.

Call the archives (217) 367- 4025 or stop by to register (it's free!)

Click here to download a PDF list of workshops available this spring. 

For more information visit their site: http://urbanafreelibrary.org/local-history-genealogy/workshops-events

Audie Wilborne Diary Poems

While researching diaries for an article I wrote for the Champaign County (IL) Genealogical Society, I came upon a World War I diary. The author, Audie Virgil Wilborne, was born at Mount Hermon, Monroe County, Kentucky on June 4, 1895 to Daniel and Lelah Wilborne. He enlisted as a private in the U.S. Army National Guard’s Fourth Infantry, Company M in Champaign, Illinois in July 1917. During World War I, Wilborne became a Corporal in the 130^th Infantry, 33^rd Division of the U.S. Army National Guard while serving in France.

In his diary, Wilborne describes enlisting for service in “the World’s War,” and his first weeks of training in New Orleans, Louisiana. After a lengthier introduction, the diary consists of daily entries, mostly one sentence, describing daily training and identifying new locations as the company traveled.  Also included are four poems written by Wilborne during his service, their titles are, “Illinois Waiting Till Her Prairie Boys Come Home,” “The U.S. Rough Necks,” “Your Answer,” and “The Dying Yank.”

Below I have included transcriptions of the four poems. The collection is available for browsing at the Champaign County Historical Archives of the Urbana Free Library. No copyright infringement is intended as I am posting these for educational purposes and for the purpose of showing the value of diaries as a family history resource. 

Illinois Waiting Till Her Prairie Boys Come Home

Do not languish, Boys, for fear

we forget you over here

we are waiting, waiting, waiting,

till our prairie Boy come home.

All your gallant deeds are known

& our pride and welcome grow

they may surge & then engulf you

as a tidal wave comes in

till we claim that whole division,

as our Blessed Kith & Kin.

As your hearts are Brave & true

so our hearts are warm for you

with a greeting & a welcome

you have never known before

so let courage lead you still

tho you miss the Battles thrill

till the good ships bring you homeward

to your own united shore

to the minds with Rules & reason

when the good ships cut the foam

with our gallant thirty-third

Intrepid thirty-third.

Beloved thirty-third.

Our thirty-third.

The U.S. Rough Necks

                        I

Only rough necks for soldiers

you say can’t stand the army

you say the life is too rough

for him. Do you think he is

any better than some other

mother’s Tom or Jim.

                       II

You raised him up like a

girl. He don’t smoke or drink

as you brag. But if all the

boys were like him. What

would become of our flag.

                       III

You say rough necks do the

fighting. They are used to the

beans and the stew. But I am

glad I am classed with the

rough necks. Who would

 fight for the red white & blue.

                         IV

You say his girl couldn’t stand

it to send him off with the

rest. But do you think she

would be glad to feel the Huns

breathe on her breast.

                        V

Just think of the women of Bel-

gium of the cruelties they had

to bear, do you want the same

thing to happen to your innocent

daughters so fair. But you can

Thank God the stars in old

Glory are not blessed with

that kind of a stain, because

there are ten million rough

necks who have red

blood in their veins.

                        VI

They go to drill in bad weather

and come in with a grin on

their face. While your darling

boy rests in the parlor and

lets some other man fight

in his place.

                        VII

Maybe we do smoke & gamble

but we fight as our fore fathers

did. So go warm the milk

for his bottle. Thank God we

didn’t need your kid.

                        End

Your Answer

                I

What will you say sonny

What will you say

when the troopship brings you home

kneeling at last by mother’s chair

you & your mother alone

what will you say sonny

what will you say sonny

as she searches your face to see

if the Boy she gave to the Company’s call

is still her Sonny -- Free.

                II

Free of the Taint of lust & drink

Free of all Hidden shame

Free of the Bonds that slave the soul

HER SON -- In heart and name

                III

What will you say sonny

what will you say,

Will your heart be filled with mirth,

Holding her close on your

young strong arms

The Mother who gave you Birth

what will you say sonny

what will you say

as her dear eyes turn to you

The Mother who guarded your Boyhood years?

Say, was SHE ever untrue.

                IV

And now what answer have you for HER,

Her fair regard to Him --

That for the faith she placed in you,

you fought your fight with Sin.

                V

What will you say sonny,

what will you say.

What will you -- answer Mother of mine

look in my eyes -- look in my Heart.

Yea, read them line on line?

Days of fighting on field or trench

nights mid the Citys lore,

Battle by day, or Battle by night,

I kept your son’s heart pure!

Finis

The Dying Yank

Beside a muddy shell hole on the Verdun front one day a dying Yankee lay.

And his old pals that lay close to his side was listening to what he had to say.

Boys I am going to a better land where everything is bright where they never do no bayonet fighting or hike at night.

Yes: Boys I’ll never fight any more Boys or eat the army stew. I’ve done my bit. And stand to quit. You tell the world I’m through.

I’ve seen all there is Boys of Huns and fighting men. I’ve had my share of those big worldly cares.  And I guess God is calling me there.

So to my sweetheart and friends back home, Boys I leave for you to tell. How I met my death at Verdun by a dirty German shell.

His face grew white and cold as the last words he said. And that night friends we buried him for the Yankee soldier was dead.

May Lindley Nelson diary continued

Here are a few more entries from the Nelson diary. I couldn't help transcribing the events of the 1885 summer months. 

June 1885 

 Davis* called (he is sergeant and wore his uniform) and said he was disappointed in me.

 *Davis appears in several earlier entries as a family friend. I assume he is close in age to May, perhaps a few years older. He features in many routine entries, especially ones concerning school dances, driving around town with friends, and parties. 

 June 1885

 L. wants me to marry him--never saw anyone so passionate and jealous in my life. Uncle D. won’t let L. come anymore says he is wild and I can’t go with him. He says he loves me “above heaven and Earth.” And talks dreadful. (I don’t like the way he talks.) says I am his first, best and only darling, etc. says will get married at the parsonage and [defer] Uncle’s folks. and my people too. he says Papa and Mamma wouldn’t approve of him and I don’t truly suppose they would. 

 June 1885

 I told L. not to come as it was best not to, since they all objected to him I think I spoke ladylike and nice. but he--well he swore at me and threatened me! dared to. I called Uncle & he came in to show him out and behold! he was no where to be seen.

 June 5 1885

 Went driving with Richard. he told me to be afraid of L. that he was dreadful. asked me to write to him. 

 June 1885

 C. came up & bid me farewell and asked to write to me etc. etc. and gave me his photo. talked sentimental! (he’s that kind.)

 June 1885 

 Anna and I attend Regents Reception. L. came up to me (he lives in Atlanta, Georgia) and asked me to shake hands and forgive him before he went away. also Anna, whom he had talked about because she told me about him. and dear old U of I. Good bye, his bad ways. 

 July 1885

 Maplewood again.
I receive the largest package of letters each week or so. Received a box of confectionary from C.W. Foster of Chicago__the violinest. 

 Aug 1885

 Have not answered Mr. C.’s last letter, think I shall not--he is so very irreligious and kind of cynical. Mamma thinks I ought to stop writing so I will. 

 Aug 1885

 Received such a lovely gold bangle with my initials on one side and June 5 ‘85 on the other also the most loving, boyish, trusting letter I ever received saying “I can trust you dearest--I feel sure you will be true to me” etc. (I never promised anything though.) I wish to enjoy myself--not to get married for a long--while. 

 Nov. 1885

 We attend the Beacher lecture. I go with Mr. G. jolly time and Oh. how fine the lecture was.

 Dec. 1885

 Albert sent me some flowers from New Mexico. We have sleighing parties here often from Urbana to Philo. 

 Christmas

 A dear, quiet day at Maplewood. 

 New Years 1886

 A nice day Arie and Ruth are here.

 Feb 1886

 Chas Parkman and sister organized a society and wish me to belong. it is the H.L.S.

 Feb 1886 

 Oh the fun we have at the H.L.S. ! Our paper and dialogues, etc. And the time L.H. fell over in the chair and broke it! I laugh and laugh all the time when I think of how he looked!

 Feb 1886

Anna wrote a letter to me. (we correspond I think of her as next-to-Nell in my affections. a dear friend indeed and always was such.) telling me not to have anything to do with Albert Richards as her brother who was with him in Mexico knew something against him. I asked for all my letters back--they were truly friendship letters still I would like them back. he is not the dear nice boy I thought him so I will have nothing to do with him. Anna would know best about him anyway. He wrote a terrible letter and said Anna had lied and that he was coming back to find out. 



 *Transcribed from the Anna May Lindley Nelson diary located at the Champaign County Historical Archives of The Urbana Free Library. Materials are to be used for educational purposes and are not meant to infringe upon copyright laws. Permission is required before using these materials for publication. 

May Nelson's diary

Anna May Lindley Nelson, ca. 1870-1931

Brief Description: 

May Lindley Nelson's diary begins as that of a young girl recounting some of her earliest and fondest memories. Her diary entries date from 1877-1909. The first half of the diary describes silly, girlish activities, such as the number of callers she has received over a single summer. She also recounts heartbreaking tragedy, like the loss of her eldest brother (24 years old) and her youngest sister (7 years old) within two months of one another. Both frivolity and tragedy are depicted with a young girl's fervor and vivacity making the diary a fascinating historical artifact for the reader's immersion into late nineteenth century life.

Brief Bio:

Anna May Lindley was born in 1870 or 1871 to Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Lindley, who were early pioneers of the Philo, Illinois Township. She married Urbana jeweler John R. Nelson in 1890 and the two resided in Urbana until 1920 when they moved to Hollywood, California. She died in 1931 in Hollywood, California at the age of 60 after a battle with stomach cancer.

A few early entries transcribed:

September 1877

I remember farther back than this, but not very well. One of the things I remember was riding a big sled through deep, deep snow, cuddled up close and warm to Mamma, also Papa used to sing me to sleep on his breast with some old fashioned church song, Old Langsyn [sic], and how he told us stories--the “eagle story” for one, and always took our part when we were naughty and deserved punishing. I also remember when Josie was born. One thing I cannot forget is how extremely mischievous and full of pranks, romantic, exciting and otherwise I was. The dear old Christmas times, how we hung our little stockings and the lovely things old Santa Claus gave us, that wonderful feeling of mystery and joy. I remember those times well. And when I attended beautiful festivals and wanted to stay in Papa’s arms the entire evening because I was afraid. I use [sic] to speak some and can remember yet how gratifying the applaus [sic] was, I was so little then. And dear Aunt Mattie and her stories and many, many other things, after all, but I will commence at Sept. 1877 with our dear old Pickwick Society. I read of it in “Little Women” and straightway organized a society--Nell Edwards my one dearest and best chum with her sister Minn, and my sisters Bert and Josie with myself constituted the society and what fun we had.

Sept 1880

Our brother Melville died. Ah, it seemed terrible.
Melville Watson Lindley--died
5 o’ clock a.m. Mond. Oct. [?] 1880.
(he died a Christian.) Aged--24.

Nov. 1880.

Josie Lindley--died. Thur Nov. 16. 1880
aged. 7. yrs.
The darling baby of the family. truly. This year is terrible for us all!

Sept 1884

My people say I can go to College if I will give up on M., they think it is all for my good. M. asked me to elope (think of it.) with him. I told him I knew nothing of housework, how to run a house I mean, so he would not like me but he said he did not want a housekeeper but a wife to love. He also said he would love me...and be a help to me through my life and that I should have all the joy, pleasure and love that he could give “God help him” he said. I told him to wait and maybe I would love him after I had been away and had a chance in the world, but he said when I saw others I would forget and that if I gave him up it would be almost death to him as he had never loved anyone else so well he begged me so hard. I hardly knew what to say.

Feb 1885

M. has gone out west he wrote a not very complimentary or kind letter first.

May 1885

Mr. Piper called to bid me goodbye and coaxed so hard for my photo said if I would write to him, etc, etc, would bring down the loveliest ring he could find in Chicago to me if I would take it. And a lot more. but I couldn't let him have the photo. I like him because he is a thorough gentleman.

The boy said he loved me and was going to ask me___for he told one of them so, etc. but, I at least never gave him any cause to think I was in love with him I never never will again do as I did with Mr. P. and then have them accusing you and calling you that dreaded thing "a flirt"!





All transcribed material was retrieved from original documents housed at the Champaign County Historical Archives of The Urbana Free Library. Duplication is provided for educational use and is not intended to violate copyright laws.

Diaries and Journals

I'm currently working on an article for the Champaign County (Illinois) Genealogical Society's quarterly publication about using diaries and journals as a resource for family history research. For the past two months I have been constructing two artificial collections for our county archives, one consisting of diaries and the other other autograph albums. I can't believe I get paid to look at these awesome pieces of history!

Diaries are a great source for family history information if you are lucky enough to inherit one. The diaries I have been working with in the archives span the years 1857-1958--that's over a century of diary entries! I've chosen three diarists to focus on for my article, all three of whom were either Champaign County pioneers or descendants thereof. Due to intellectual property rights, I can't publish the article here, but I can share my research. I will post a few highlights from these collections soon!

Kermit Krugh from The Homerian

Since I haven't posted in a while (sorry!!!), I though I would add something I found in the archives the other day pertaining to my husband's family. Here are some yearbook pictures of his grandfather, Kermit. Unfortunately Grandpa Kermit died of a heart attack in his 40's, decades before my husband's birth.

 Above: Kermit's freshman year, 1943. He is the farthest to the right in the top row.

Above: Kermit's sophomore year in 1944. He is the second from the left in the first row.

And, my favorite, Kermit's senior picture in 1946. He looks so similar to my husband when he was a senior in high school that it's a little unnerving! 

Local county archives are a great place for digging up old yearbook pictures. A lot of times searching for the pictures are for altruistic or nostalgic reasons, but they can be great additions to your genealogy collections. This is especially true when you find a picture that looks very similar to a living descendant!