Genealogy Hints
Genealogical Society of Marion County, IndianaWitness / Bondsman
Look carefully at marriage records. The witnesses and bondsmen may be related to either party.
intestate
A person who dies intestate dies without a will.
bequest
A bequest is a legacy, usually a gift of real estate by will.
Codicil
A Codicil is a supplemental document to a will.
Decedent
Decedent refers to the deceased person.
dower
A widow's dower is her claim to a portion of her deceased husband's estate during her lifetime for her and her children's support.
see entire probate file
When doing research in probate records, request to see the entire file.
see National Archives
Of primary interest to genealogists are service records and pension records. Many records are available through the National Archives.
Pension records
Microfilmed pension records are available from the National Archives, HeritageQuest Online and the Family History Library. Pension files may contain birth date and place, and the names of the wife and children.
archival label
Look for the archival label on storage products - "acid free" or 'archival safe".