Hi Lance - this is Sylvia Hasenkopf - I run this site and do genealogical research for folks in Greene Co, including the Vedder Library. I'm not sure about the FHL indices, but the probate indices at the Vedder are listed in in 2 big tomes, alphabetically, and then chronoligically within the tomes. They were compiled much later than when the earliest records were produced. These indices include all probate records, wills, Letters of Administration, Guardianship records, inventories and all the other paperwork that is developed with an estate. Some material appears in books of their own (there are will books, guardianship books, letters of administration and a few others) however packets were created that hold all the other paperwork related to the settlement of the deceased's estate. This would include inventories of the estate, appointment of executors by the judge, unclaimed "notes" written by the deceased (hence outstanding debts by the deceased) and many other documents. Not all packets are this detailed - some are quite thick, especially if their is a dispute on the estate, or the person was wealthy and had a complicated will or died intestate (without a will). Other files are simply what was left when this major indexing was done - many early records are not very complete. At the end of every letter (the A's. B's etc) is a miscellaneous file, that has individual pieces of people's probate, so didn't warrant a file packet of their own. This is where I have found many of the very oldest probates for Greene Co) Sylvia ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lance Ware" <lance.ware@cox.net> To: <NYGREENE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2005 11:19 PM Subject: RE: [GREENE COUNTY] Greene County probate records on LDS film > Hi Jim, > > Thanks for your response. I took a look at the Clow/Clough data and > compared it to what I had transcribed from the index (all the Hopkins > names from the beginning until 1930 when the index stops). I suspect the > box numbers are (at least to some extent) arranged alphabetically by > first letter of surname. That would explain why all the Clough records > (up until the box numbers switch to letters in about the year 1920 or > so) are housed in boxes 63-97, while all the Hopkins records are in > boxes 166-212. Same sort of thing with the packet numbers. Comparison > with the Baker and Losee will index at the same site fits with this > pattern. This, of course, means that the boxes and packets were arranged > and numbered after the fact at a later date. I've seen this done in > other localities, so it is not unusual. > > Thanks for your advice. I'll contact the historical society to see if > they can send me copies. > > And, since you've already done it for one surname, I think I'll follow > suit and submit my data in the same format for inclusion on the Greene > County site. > > Lance > >> -----Original Message----- >> From: James Brady [mailto:brady.j@att.net] >> Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2005 07:16 PM >> To: NYGREENE-L@rootsweb.com >> Subject: RE: [GREENE COUNTY] Greene County probate records on LDS >> film >> >> Lance, >> >> That box/packet number doesn't look right to me. It doesn't seem to >> fit with >> what I remember the sequences as being, see the index of Greene >> County >> Clow/Clough wills: >> http://www.rootsweb.com/~nygreen2/clough_clow_wills_index.htm >> >> The index refers to all kinds of libers of records, other than the >> will >> libers, to find individual pieces of information in, but I found >> that with >> the box/packet number you can get a folder that contains all of the >> records >> shown in the above. >> >> In any event, the highest box number I remember was 109 for 1990. >> What I >> remember of the packet numbers is that they ran in sequence and that >> when a >> new packet wouldn't fit in a box they would start a new box with the >> next >> highest number and the packets would continue to increment by one. >> If I'm >> remembering correctly, the boxes began as numbers, switched to >> letters and >> then went back to numbers. The packet number sequence may have re- >> started at >> one, or more, of those switchovers. >> >> Is this making any sense? >> >> Looking at the FHL Library Catalog - it's my impression that none of >> the >> films correspond to the document packets, but refer to libers. If >> they do >> correspond to the will document packets - I can't discern any >> pattern. >> >> The Greene County Historical Society holds all the early records, up >> to >> about 1920, or so, and they could help you out for about the same >> cost, more >> or less, as renting a couple of FHL films. They also have the >> indexes in >> liber form. >> >> Later records are still with the County Surrogate in Catskill at the >> Courthouse. >> >> Hope this helps, >> Jim >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: lance.ware@cox.net [mailto:lance.ware@cox.net] >> Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2005 8:01 PM >> To: NYGREENE-L@rootsweb.com >> Subject: [GREENE COUNTY] Greene County probate records on LDS film >> >> >> I found an individual in the General Index, Surrogates Office, >> Greene County >> (FHL film # 0480085), which gives the following info: >> >> Lemuel Hopkins, box 167, pkg 4082, letters admin. vol. D, p. 24 >> >> Now, how do I find the probate records from this? I think I know how >> to get >> the film for the letters of admin book, but how do I find box 167, >> pkg 4082 >> to get all the documents? There is another set of FHL films called >> Estate >> Papers, Greene County, which are cataloged by number, but I'm not >> sure if >> this number corresponds to the 4082 above. For example, there is FHL >> film # >> 0480476 for Estate Papers, H, no. 4026-4099. Will this give me pkg >> 4082? Or >> what film is this on (if any)? >> >> Does anyone have experience with using these Greene County probate >> films >> that can tell me how to get what I want? >> >> Thanks, >> Lance >> >> >> ==== NYGREENE Mailing List ==== >> The Diary of John Barr, Ensign in the Revolutionary War. Come read >> about our >> revolutionary past from the eyes of one who lived it! >> http://www.rootsweb.com/~nygreen2 >> >> ============================== >> 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 >> >> >> ==== NYGREENE Mailing List ==== >> Your on-line source for Greene County history and genealogy. 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