Just because a person didn't leave a will doesn't necessarily mean that they didn't leave a trail of estate papers. Someone wrote to me and I thought I'd mention it to the list. I had in Piatt County my great great grandmother and came up with a VERY VALUABLE paper with names when an estate had to be opened up when she died without leaving a will. When people die without wills it appears that where there was any kind of property or minor children there was a law that some kind of estate administrator had to be appointed. That has been my experience for James White, Willis N. Young, Knox County, and Jane White (widowed mother of James White) in Piatt County. I am really grateful to those courthouse employees who have dug out some of this info for me. So it wouldn't hurt tos sometimes write a letter to the county clerk asking if there was any kind of administration opened up for people who died without leaving a will. I don't know if they just index wills or what. Alice