This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: pampearson1 Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.maryland.counties.somerset/846.1.1.3.1.1.1/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Thank you. I understand the probate process quite well. I have been doing research for over 35 years, have direct ancestry in 24 states, and have hundred of wills and other probate records in my files. I occasionally lecture on wills and probate, among other topics. You seems to be confusing the second date (in this case 3 Jul 1695) with the date the will was recorded. It is not. It was the date the will was "proved" or "probated" in the court. Again, that's the date the administrator and witnesses went to court and presented the will. It is considered the beginning (not the end) of the probate process. I have reviewed and copied hundreds of wills - both original wills and those recorded into will books - and I have never seen any notations of people having died, etc. The wills are copied into the will books verbatim. Any deaths or other significant events may, as you mention, be recorded in the court records. They would not be mentioned in the Will Books. Entries in the Maryland Calendar of Wills (such as the one for Ellinor Caine) were abstracted from the wills only - and include no other probate information. Again, the first date is the date she wrote the will; the second date is the date the will was proved. For whatever reason, there are no additional probate (court) records for her in the MD Prerogative Court records. To my point, here is an example of the dates in the MD records for Alexander Maddux. His will was "proved" on 14 May 1717, but his estate was finally settled on 14 Mar 1719/20 (at least that is when the last court record appears). >From MD Calendar of Wills: Alexander Maddux; 10 Apr 1717 (date will was written); 14 May 1717 (date will was proved). >From Prerogative Corut Records: 14 May 1717: Bond of Mary Maddux, executrix; sureties Fenton and Stevens. 14 Mar 1719/20; Administration Account by executrix Mary Maddux; payments to Whittington, Dashiell, etc. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.