I would really like to. There are approx. 80ish total folders. I will be copying 7 of them. I wish I lived closer to the Archives because this would be a great project since they are not microfilmed. It is a little over a two hour drive for me. When I get up there I will get a better idea of how much is actually in these 80ish folders. Michele -----Original Message----- From: Dee Dee King, Certified Genealogist [mailto:king@forensicgenealogyservices.com] Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2013 9:22 AM To: Michele Lewis Cc: TGF Mailing List Subject: Re: [TGF] an interesting find at the courthouse And perhaps just as importantly, you should ask for permission to transcribe the information in the folder and publish it so others can find the documents. best regards, Dee ----- Original Message ----- From: "Michele Lewis" <ancestoring@gmail.com> To: "TGF Mailing List" <transitional-genealogists-forum@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2013 8:07:58 AM Subject: [TGF] an interesting find at the courthouse I found something that the Columbia County courthouse by accident on one of my persons of interest. I was there for a totally different reason. On prior visits I had asked about loose probate papers/packets (intestate) and I have always been told that there aren't any (most of everything is in bound books but there should be some loose papers). The clerks said they knew nothing about it so I assumed they were lost. I had searched the vault myself and couldn't find any. The FHL has no microfilm of the loose probate packets. Yesterday I found a little loose leaf folder buried under a bunch of other stuff. Guess what it was. It was a catalog of the loose probate packets. They were sent to the Georgia Archives years ago so the clerks didn't have a clue. This little folder listed ALL of the persons in the probate packets and exactly which boxes in the archives they are in. The individual papers are in files by person in the boxes. My person of interest, Calvin R. Lewis was on the list. I have been trying to prove who his father was. Calvin was only 26 at the time of his death in 1851. I am hoping, praying, that his father (who I think his father is) or one of that man's known sons was listed as the administrator which will help me solidify the bond (I do have other evidence but more evidence would be good). So, I guess I will be going to the GA Archives this Friday or next Friday. I had checked the GA archives card catalog but I think it is very user unfriendly and I didn't see it. Michele The Transitional Genealogists List was created to provide a supportive environment for genealogists to learn best practices as they transition to professional level work. Please respect the kind intentions of this list. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to TRANSITIONAL-GENEALOGISTS-FORUM-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message
Michele, I think that Dee Dee meant you should explore transcribing/publishing the information from the "little loose leaf folder" at the Columbia County courthouse, rather than the multiple loose estate files at the Georgia Archives. It would be a real help - finding aids rock! Betsy Miller
The list of Columbia County estates in the loose papers at the Georgia Archives has been published at least twice. The archives lists the files in its Columbia County collection of "Arranged Unbound Estate Records and Wills" online at http://www.sos.georgia.gov/archives/what_do_we_have/online_indexes/pdi/RG136/136-02-001.htm. The same list was published in print a few decades ago. If I remember correctly, it was in the Georgia Genealogical Society's newsletter. Hundreds of Columbia County estates and guardianships covering 1789-1931 are filed separately and alphabetically in twenty-six numbered containers. My experience with the the files I've consulted is that they contain little that had not been recorded in various books at the courthouse (and on microfilm at the Georgia Archives and Family History Library). Other than the few papers I encountered that had not been recorded, the papers' greatest value to me was they contain original signatures and fewer copying errors than the books. Columbia County researchers are fortunate that this collection has been preserved. --- Tom Jones On 1/23/2013 9:25 AM, Michele Lewis wrote: > I would really like to. There are approx. 80ish total folders. I will be copying 7 of them. I wish I lived closer to the Archives because this would be a great project since they are not microfilmed. It is a little over a two hour drive for me. When I get up there I will get a better idea of how much is actually in these 80ish folders. > > Michele > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Dee Dee King, Certified Genealogist [mailto:king@forensicgenealogyservices.com] > Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2013 9:22 AM > To: Michele Lewis > Cc: TGF Mailing List > Subject: Re: [TGF] an interesting find at the courthouse > > And perhaps just as importantly, you should ask for permission to transcribe the information in the folder and publish it so others can find the documents. > > best regards, > > Dee > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Michele Lewis" <ancestoring@gmail.com> > To: "TGF Mailing List" <transitional-genealogists-forum@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2013 8:07:58 AM > Subject: [TGF] an interesting find at the courthouse > > I found something that the Columbia County courthouse by accident on one of my persons of interest. I was there for a totally different reason. On prior visits I had asked about loose probate papers/packets (intestate) and I have always been told that there aren't any (most of everything is in bound books but there should be some loose papers). The clerks said they knew nothing about it so I assumed they were lost. I had searched the vault myself and couldn't find any. The FHL has no microfilm of the loose probate packets. > > > > Yesterday I found a little loose leaf folder buried under a bunch of other stuff. Guess what it was. It was a catalog of the loose probate packets. > They were sent to the Georgia Archives years ago so the clerks didn't have a clue. This little folder listed ALL of the persons in the probate packets and exactly which boxes in the archives they are in. The individual papers are in files by person in the boxes. My person of interest, Calvin R. Lewis was on the list. I have been trying to prove who his father was. Calvin was only 26 at the time of his death in 1851. I am hoping, praying, that his father (who I think his father is) or one of that man's known sons was listed as the administrator which will help me solidify the bond (I do have other evidence but more evidence would be good). > > > > So, I guess I will be going to the GA Archives this Friday or next Friday. > I had checked the GA archives card catalog but I think it is very user unfriendly and I didn't see it. > > > > Michele >
"The same list was published in print a few decades ago. If I remember correctly, it was in the Georgia Genealogical Society's newsletter." I can't believe I can't remember that! (tee hee). That list is very interesting in that it has a ton more names on it than the list at the Columbia County Probate Court has. The list the court has is hand typed so I wonder if someone tried to copy all the names but just missed a few (like maybe a hundred). Obviously I missed this list on the Georgia Archives site but that doesn't surprise me. I have a love-hate relationship with their finding aids :) :) :) No matter! I will be going over to Morrow on Friday to see exactly what is in these loose papers. Maybe I will get lucky. Michele -----Original Message----- From: transitional-genealogists-forum-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:transitional-genealogists-forum-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Tom Jones Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2013 1:02 PM To: 'TGF Mailing List' Subject: Re: [TGF] an interesting find at the courthouse The list of Columbia County estates in the loose papers at the Georgia Archives has been published at least twice. The archives lists the files in its Columbia County collection of "Arranged Unbound Estate Records and Wills" online at http://www.sos.georgia.gov/archives/what_do_we_have/online_indexes/pdi/RG136 /136-02-001.htm. The same list was published in print a few decades ago. If I remember correctly, it was in the Georgia Genealogical Society's newsletter. Hundreds of Columbia County estates and guardianships covering 1789-1931 are filed separately and alphabetically in twenty-six numbered containers. My experience with the the files I've consulted is that they contain little that had not been recorded in various books at the courthouse (and on microfilm at the Georgia Archives and Family History Library). Other than the few papers I encountered that had not been recorded, the papers' greatest value to me was they contain original signatures and fewer copying errors than the books. Columbia County researchers are fortunate that this collection has been preserved. --- Tom Jones without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message