You have a couple of options: 1. The Cape Girardeau Co. Genealogical Society will do paid research at $10/hour, minimum of 3 hours. You get more than you pay for when you do this! Send specific request for research and a SASE to the society at PO Box 389, Jackson, MO 63755, or email Betty Mills, Corresponding Secretary, at bmills@clas.net The web site for the Society (which more researchers should join!) is: http://www.rootsweb.com/~mocgcgs/index.htm 2. Contact the Cape Girardeau Archive Center: archive@capecounty.us They will look up wills, probate, and estate files, and copy them for $1 per page or $0.15 for microfilm copies. Their web page is: http://www.showme.net/CapeCounty/archive/Fees.htm >Date: Thu, 25 Mar 2004 07:59:53 -0500 +>From: "Dean Reily" <Dean@Reily.org> >Subject: [MOCapeGirardeau ] Wills, Probate and Estate Settlement Records > >During the period 1860 to 1870 real property and real estate >of James I. Riley valued at about $60,000 was transferred in >about equal portions to his wife Elizabeth and his son >James E. Riley . I would expect there to be a will, probate and >estate settlement records that will determine when James I. >Riley died. > >Based on other research he may have been declared incompetent >rather then having died. James I. Riley was born in about 1813 >and would have been 47 to 57 years old at the time the transfer >of his assets took place. He was reported to be an iron monger >and hardware merchant and resided in Cape Cirardeau City from >about 1844 to 186x. He was born in Adams County, Pennsylvania. > >I will appreciate some advice from members of the list on how >to go about researching will, probate and estate settlement records >remotely. I am currently living in Florida. > >Dean >Dean@Reily.org >DeanReily@ieee.org