> I just got back from a successful trip to NM, photographing > gravestones and gathering photos and papers from relatives. One of > the papers I found was a "final account" for an estate for May READ. > She had acquired quite a sum of worth for 1961 and the list of heirs > was over 32. My husband's grandfather, a paternal cousin, received > 1/4th 1/6th of 1/2 estate. I contacted the probate office for Cook > Co. , IL and they say the file is 400 pages. That would cost about > $125 to have copied. I have the "final account" that states page > 240 on the first page and lists assets and heirs. There are no > addresses for heirs or genealogical evidence on these pages. My > question, does anyone know what I would ask for that would show how > the heirs are related? The woman in the office was quite helpful > and she is going to look through the file over the next couple of > days, but I only asked her to look for addresses. I didn't know > what else to ask for. Would there be a chart or family tree? What > would a genealogist submit for a probate heir search as results that > might be in this file. I would think it would be a great find to > further my research if this estate already paid someone to do a > search back for all these cousins. > > Evelyn Bayna <ebayna@ucsd.edu> 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. 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. 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. 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. carole@caroleallen.com (Carole Allen)