Hello Linda and all, I think my experience in Virginia, Tennessee and NC research is a little different than several of the other responses. I tend to agree with the direction of EW Wallace's comments below. Generally in the 1600s, 1700s and 1800s, the persons (usually three, of which two must participate) chosen by the court (given its blessing) to construct an estate inventory were those NOT involved in the estate as either administrators/executors or beneficiaries or major creditors. I believe this was due to the fact that those individuals had a vested interested in the outcome (ie, items included and their valuation). And they might be tempted to some sort of shenanigans, such as not including certain items, that would skew the outcome and be unfair to the beneficiaries and or creditors. I would suggest that if people of the surname were named to take the inventory, then all parties and the court agreed they would be objective, but they would probably not be executor/administrator, beneficiary or major creditor. The persons chosen to take the inventory are often neighbors as suggested. The estate sale is another situation however, in which the administrators/executors were generally the ones conducting the sale and reporting the results to the court, as a rule. I agree that the estate sales that list the participants are very important. One of the most interesting facets is that you can find out your ancestor's nicknames! My g grandmother Letsey Catherine (Shelton) Baugh, was known as "Kate". I found this first in two separate estate sales given me by Shelton cousins, then I found her will ca 1924, and she wrote it as Kate Baugh. Figuring this out was also a big step in helping identify who the "Kate" was as referred to in some old letters I have. Another thing you may notice is that the widow and children often buy back many items that were their own possessions. Usually this is a paper transaction for them, as the amount of the items "purchased", ends up being taken out of their respetives shares, bequests in the final settlements. I have Kate Baugh's husband William Eggleston Baugh's final settlement documents, as my grandfather was the administrator. The value of the estate is divided equally amongst all the children, after Kate's dower share is taken out. Then from each child's share is substracted the amount of their loans still outstanding from their father, and amounts of items purchased at the sale. FYI, finding this document amongst my grandfather's working papers was quite heartening to me because I also have a letter from his father to him before my great grandfather's death complaining quite loudly about his failure to pay on the loan. Well, it turns out all the sons owed several thousand dollars each at the time of great grandpa's death so my own fellow wasn't the only not paying the loans. Two other places in the estate process to look for hints would be those persons who posted bond for the administrators/executors with the court, and those persons chosen by the court to "lay off" the widow's dower lands. While the admin/executors bonds would often be posted by relatives, those laying off the dower lands would generally not be, particularly not a beneficiary -- who might be tempted to work it out so he could get the better land -- more fertile, water supply, best wood -- as would be desired. Best Regards, Janet Hunter In a message dated 12/10/2007 1:34:23 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, Hdanw@aol.com writes: Linda writes: Hello List members , I don't know if anyone can help me out or not with this question, but it's worth a try.? Could an heir to an estate be a?witness the the inventory of the deceased person's estate?? In other words, if my ancestor, John Doe, dies without a will, can John Doe's son sign as a witness on?the inventory of his father's estate? Thanks for any help, Linda Monticelli Trying to help, this is my response: I am not sure about a *witness* to an inventory. One of the first administrations I ran across was in a Jackson Purchase county of Kentucky. The deceased had died rather suddenly, it seems, and his just-married son was appointed administrator by the court. [check the court orders, in Kentucky called Court Order Book; in Virginia, just an order book]. As such he and I believe two other fellows conducted the inventory and then the son held an estate sale. Try to check the court documents preceding the inventory and then check the court records for an estate sale. Also note who attends the estate sale and who purchases items. They are generally neighbors and some may even be relatives. In the estate sale to which I refer, the daughter of the deceased bought a saddle. My teachers of genealogy have taught me well: Collect the neighbors. They may have been neighbors in a previous residence, and some may even be in-laws--or soon will be. One genealogist from the Salt Lake City area says, Do a mini-census. She means collect the neighbors!!! I hope you will find a deed in which the heirs distribute the land. That may be interesting. Sometimes you find the heirs of the deceased have moved to *foreign parts*--an adjoining State or to a new State which is offering cheap land! E.W.Wallace **************************************See AOL's top rated recipes (http://food.aol.com/top-rated-recipes?NCID=aoltop00030000000004)