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Florida. Circuit Court (2nd Circuit : Jefferson County)
Title, Dates:
Probate records, 1838-1946.
Amount:
30.00 microfilm reel 35 mm.
Medium Included:
Organization/Arrangement:
By record type.
Restrictions:
Terms Governing Use:
Biographical/Historical:
Jefferson County was created from the eastern portion of Leon County on January 6, 1827 by an act of the Legislative Council. Jefferson's northwest boundary with Leon County and its northeast boundary with Madison County changed slightly several times throughout the 1800s. The Clerk of the Circuit Court in each county serves as the official custodian of deed, marriage, and probate records.
Summary:
This series consists of a microfilm copy of the probaterecords of Jefferson County, Florida, from 1838 to 1946. The series includes loose probate files; wills, letters testamentary and letters of administration (1838-1924); inventories, appraisements and accounts of sales (1846-1927); annual reports of estates (1926-1927); account currents of executors, administrators and guardians (1853-1885); orders and decrees (1845-1927); petitions for dower sales and division of real estate and reports of commissioners (1845-1906); bond records (1873-1946); and a progress docket (1868-1917). Also included are order books from the County and Superior courts (1840-1881) and homestead exemptions (1870-1940). Probate is the transfer of property title and rights and of legal responsibility for payment of taxes or custody from the deceased to another party, from a person judged incompetent or insane, or from a minor to an appointed guardian. Probate records document the administration and distribution of an individual's estate after death. The probate files bring together all the records related to a specific estate, including wills, guardianship and administration records, and estate inventories.
A will is a legal instrument by which a person declares how they wish their property or estate to be disposed of after their death. Wills usually contain direct statements of relationships between the deceased and his family and denote ownership of specific property and goods.
Letters testamentary are the formal instruments of authority and appointment given to a person by the probate court, giving him the powers of executor of a decedent's will. The executor carries out the directions and requests of the will and disposes of the decedent's property.
Administration records concern people who died intestate--having no valid will and thus no provisions for their estate. These records document the appointment by the court of an administrator for such an estate.
Inventories, appraisals and accounts of sales list the personal property of an estate with appraised values. They document the sale of such property to settle any debts of the estate.
Guardians, administrators and executors are required to document and report their activities regarding the estate for which they are responsible. Their annual reports and account summaries were recorded in the probate court.
Order books record any court orders issued regarding probate cases. The order may concern the appointment of guardians or administrators, permission to sell or divide an estate, the resignation of an administrator or guardian, etc. The order books often contain petitions to the court for such requests as well.
Bond records are the record of the obligation into which guardians, executors, or administrators entered by taking such an office. Each entry documents the name of the guardian, executor, etc., the amount of the bond, and the name of the surety.
A progress docket is arranged by case and lists all actions taken on such case with the corresponding court dates.
The County Court and Superior Court order books are records of the orders handed down by these courts on a variety of civil and criminal cases.
The homestead exemption book documents real and personal property exempt from forced sale by the courts under the homestead law of 1868.
Other Jefferson County probate records, including many relating to the Bellamy/Bailey, family can be found in series L346 Miscellaneous court records.
Finding Aids:
Microfilm listing available.
Additional Physical Form:
Reproduction Note:
Microfilm.
Location of Originals/Duplicates:
Circuit Court, Second Judicial Circuit, Jefferson County. Office of the Clerk. Monticello, Florida.
Associated Materials:
Language Notes:
Ownership/Custodial History:
Publication Note:
General Note:
Electronic Records Access:
Subject Access Fields:
Homestead exemptions Florida Probate records Florida --Jefferson County Guardian and ward Florida --Jefferson County Insurance, Surety and fidelity Florida Court records Florida --Jefferson County Decedents' estates Florida Guardianship
Probate records. aat Wills. aat Estate inventories. aat Bonds (Legal records) aat Letters of administration. aat
Jefferson County (Fla.)
for detailed listing.