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 **************************************Check out AOL's list of 2007's hottest products. (http://money.aol.com/special/hot-products-2007?NCID=aoltop00030000000001)