The Online Catalog allows searching and browsing of information about the Florida State Archives’ holdings of over 48,000 cubic feet of state and local government records and historical manuscripts. The catalog provides descriptions of over 3,400 collections and lists the contents of containers and folders in many of those collections. For assistance with accessing and using State Archives collections, call our Reference Staff at 850.245.6719 or email us at archives@dos.myflorida.com.
Record books are chronological; loose estate files are numerical; indexes are alphabetical.
Restrictions:
Terms Governing Use:
Biographical/Historical:
Dade County was created by an act (No. 19, Acts) of the Legislative Council on February 4, 1836. It was formed from a portion of Monroe County. Dade County boundaries were changed twice. Palm Beach County was formed from Dade County in 1909 by an act (Ch. 5970, Laws) of the State Legislature. Broward County was created by an act (Ch. 6934, Laws) of the State Legislature in 1915 from territory that had comprised Dade and Palm Beach counties. 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 Dade County, Florida, from 1869 to 1930. The records include general indexes to estates (1869-1930), loose estate files (1869-1900), records of letters testamentary and letters of administration (1869-1911), will records (1894-1911), and probate minutes (1901-1904). 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.
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. The record books contain oaths, petitions and bonds in addition to the letters. Books 1 and 2 are indexed.
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. In addition to wills, the books also contain other related probate documents such as letters of administration, oaths and petitions. Records were copied into Book 1 beginning in 1894; the original records date back to as early as 1850. The will books are indexed.
The probate minute book records proceedings in the probate court. It documents orders handed down by the court, papers filed, appointments made, and oaths taken. The minute book is indexed. Also contained in the minute book are miscellaneous records of the county court (1911-1967). These consist primarily of oaths and appointments of court clerks and other county officials.
The loose estate files bring together all the original probate records pertaining to a specific estate. These files include records such as letters testamentary, wills, estate inventories, administration records, guardianship records, and annual returns.
Finding Aids:
Microfilm listing available.
Additional Physical Form:
Reproduction Note:
Microfilm.
Location of Originals/Duplicates:
Circuit Court, Eleventh Judicial Circuit, Dade County. Office of the Clerk. Miami, Florida.
Associated Materials:
Language Notes:
Ownership/Custodial History:
Publication Note:
General Note:
Electronic Records Access:
Subject Access Fields:
Probate records Florida --Dade County Decedents' estates Florida Insurance, Surety and fidelity Florida Appointments.
Probate records. aat Wills. aat Estate inventories. aat Letters of administration. aat Oaths. aat
Dade County (Fla.) Officials and employees
for detailed listing.