If there was absolutely no debate over what the deceased left behind, such as when a man left a widow in a paid-off house and no living children, there were cases of having no Letter of Admin. When someone had already given everything to children, expecting only to use a house, etc., until his or her death, would be another explanation. But it is my experience that with the majority (especially starting in the 1900s) either a spouse or oldest child was expected to file such a letter. This put others (related or not) on notice for a set period of time, to either produce proof that they were owed something, or hold their peace, at which time the filer was named administrator. If someone died with debts, the largest debtor often stepped forward to file such a Letter himself, and courts could recognize that party as Administrator as long as no family member challenged. This seems like the fox watching the chicken coop, but I've seen it happen. Courthouse workers sometimes either don't know, or don't care to point it out (lest you stay longer!) but there is a separate book listing Letters of Admin. that should always be checked when you cannot find someone's Will. Even after reviewing the Will and L. of A. lists, also ask how to find Inventories (of the estate) and possibly a Division of Real Estate. The Inventory SHOULD be attached to a formal Will on a later date, but if you see no evidence of someone listing every last spoon and chair in the deceased's house (who got it, who was paid what debt, etc.), then ask if there are separate Inventories somewhere. May your next visit bring you some "a-ha's." ----Original Message Follows---- From: "Jack Allen" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [NJCUMBER] Millvile and Cumberland death records (self-help tips) Date: Sat, 17 Sep 2005 10:24:51 -0400 Are you saying that if someone did not leave a will, then a letter of administration will be on file? If so this would be great news for me. ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, September 17, 2005 9:57 AM Subject: [NJCUMBER] Millvile and Cumberland death records (self-help tips) >This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. > >Classification: Query > >Message Board URL: > >http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/wQB.2ACE/1140 > >Message Board Post: > >Walter Lovett certainly came through for Sandi, sleuthing down many exact >burial locations at Mount Pleasant in Millville. For anyone else looking >for persons buried there, the Millville Historical Society (open Wed. and >Sun. 1 to 4 pm) has a huge Charles Hartman map showing what every tombstone >said (as of 1980 or perhaps earlier). Then there is an index, so you don't >have to squint over the whole map. A volunteer was able to direct me to a >couple of graves I had long sought, thanks to this index. The older part of >Mount P. is huge and hilly, plus has rocks, bricks and sticks in its >winding paths, so it's wonderful to have such a grave-finding aid at MHS. > >But Walter, I didn't think they had causes of deaths in the Index, so did >you unearth some other printed source of Mount Pleasant records? I spoke >with Mt. P. manager Jim Reeves at the cem. a couple of years ago and he >said they had records that (by that time) no one had photocopied for the >MHS. Has someone done that since? It would be a great service, and I >would gladly go over from Southern Delaware, to help. If it has been done, >however, and that's the source you used, does the lack of a plot number >suggest the person got no stone? (I would think they'd have to note exact >position anyway, to prevent future use of the same piece of ground!) > >For those who cannot go to Millville, the historical society no longer has >e-mail, but if you write (and preferably either join for $10 or enclose a >donation) a volunteer may look up one or two requests. If your >missing-persons died since the 1930s, MHS keeps a great file of obits, too. > >Also, Sandi, since you have exact names and death dates, you can contact >the two oldest funeral homes in Mvl, Rocap-Shannon and Christy's. Both >started around 1900. Their recs should show burial locations and possibly >COD/ next of kin. Christy's has a website, where you can send an e-mail >request. > >Every person who died in Cumberland County should have either a Will or a >Letter of Administration (if they left no Will). These papers are filed at >the Courthouse in Bridgeton and possibly the Cumberland h.s. in Greenwich. >At the CH, however, they hit you for a walloping $3 per page for copying >Wills from microfilm, so be prepared to either take careful notes or walk >out broke. > >Finally, there's the NJ State Archives in Trenton, where you can visit to >find any NJ death certificate (only 50 cents per page here). Certs can >also be ordered by mail, using a form on their website. > > >============================== >Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the >last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: >http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > > > >--- >avast! Antivirus: Inbound message clean. >Virus Database (VPS): 0537-2, 09/16/2005 >Tested on: 9/17/2005 9:58:06 AM >avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2004 ALWIL Software. >http://www.avast.com > > > --- avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean. 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