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State Archives of Florida Online Catalog

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	Record Group Number:	800000
	Series/Collection Number:	.L 109
	Creator:	Florida. Circuit Court (4th Circuit : Clay County)
	Title, Dates:	Probate records, 1859-1924.
	Amount:	5.00 microfilm reel 35 mm.
	Medium Included:
	Organization/Arrangement:	By record type.
	Restrictions:
	Terms Governing Use:
	Biographical/Historical:	Clay County was created by an act (Ch. 866, Laws) of the State Legislature December 31, 1858. Originally part of Duval County, Clay annexed a portion of Putnam County in 1883 (Ch.3469, Laws). 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 probate records of Clay County, Florida, from 1859 to 1924. The series includes records of wills (1861-1924), probate order books (1859-1917), records of letters (1859-1924), and inventories and accounts of estates (1859-1889). Probate is the transfer of property title and rights and of legal responsibility for payment of taxes or of 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. A will is a legal instrument by which people declare how they wish their property or estate to be disposed of after their death. Wills usually contain direct statements regarding the relationships between the deceased and his family and denote ownership of specific property and goods. Will Book D is filmed twice, on reel 1 and on reel 5; however, only the copy on reel 5 includes the index to the book. Will books 2 and 3 are also indexed. The order books are a record of court orders handed down in probate cases. The orders include those appointing or discharging executors or administrators, orders for sales of estates, and orders to appraise personal and real property. The order books are indexed. Records of letters contain the formal instruments of authority and appointment given to a person by the probate court, giving him the powers of executor, administrator, or guardian of a decedent's estate or minor children. The appointee then takes an oath and bond to guarantee his performance of the duties of the position. Record of letters books 2 and 3 are indexed. Estate inventories list all the personal and real property of a decedent's estate, usually with an appraised value. Estate accounts are a record of the estate's debts and creditors and profits and expenses.
	Finding Aids:	Microfilm listing available.
	Additional Physical Form:
	Reproduction Note:	Microfilm.
	Location of Originals/Duplicates:	Circuit Court, Fourth Judicial Circuit, Clay County. Office of the Clerk. Green Cove Springs, Florida.
	Associated Materials:
	Language Notes:
	Ownership/Custodial History:
	Publication Note:
	General Note:
	Electronic Records Access:
	Subject Access Fields:	Probate records Florida --Clay County Guardian and ward Florida --Clay County Decedents' estates Florida Guardianship Probate records. aat Wills. aat Estate inventories. aat Letters of administration. aat Clay County (Fla.)
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