> Hi, Carol: I just got done talking on the phone to the clerk at the Probate Division of Cook Co., IL and she said the first 30 pages or so of the file are mostly receipts and she couldn't find anything that had addresses on it. I asked specifically for "A declaration/affidavit of service and she couldn't find one. > The person probating the estate would have been required to give > notice to the heirs listed. So look for the declarations (or > affidavits) of service. A declaration/affidavit of service will > basically state under oath that on such a day the person mailed a > specified document (or documents) to the following people at the > following addresses. You might find one which lists them all, or > they might have been sent in batches, so there might be several. If > addresses wee no known, it might have been notice published in a > local newspaper in the legal notices section fr whatever peirod of > time the law requires. Notice to the heirs of the opening and of > the intended closing of the estate should have been sent prior to > distribution of assets, as well as notice of other actions. Reading through the "final account" again, I did find a disbursement listed to "Official Reporting Service-proof of partial heirship" would this be someplace I could contact or what? > Perhaps the clerk can send you simply a copy of the "docket." This > lists the name of each document filed. You can then obtain copies > of specific documents. I asked the clerk about the docket and she said they were all on the computer, so I asked if I could get a printout and she said they weren't set up for that. Does it make sense that a file from the 1960's wouldn't have a paper copy? > Another alternative is to see if the LDS has filmed probate records > for the county of NM in which you are interested. You can then > ordered the microfilm and review the entire document and make > whatever copies you need. Actually the file is from IL and I searched LDS catalog and they didn't seem to have any probate files for Cook Co. > If you get the docket sheet and don't know what s important or not, > email me. I work for a judge in a court system and used to be a > probate paralegal. I guess the states are different for how they handle probate cases? This accounting that I have has 74 items of cash receipts: stocks, bonds, real estate, savings accounts, the administrator's fee was $11,500.00 plus another $11,500 for the attorney's fee, June 10, 1970. There are the names of 53 heirs, I guess I'm lucky I've got that much information. I hate to pay $120 to get all 400 pages and most of it is receipts and bills that I already have a listing of but that's cheaper than going to Chicago from San Diego. I'd appreciate any suggestions. Thanks a lot for your time and expertise. Evelyn Evelyn Bayna <ebayna@ucsd.edu>