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Subdivided into (1) Record books: arranged chronologically; and (2) Probate packets: arranged numerically.
Restrictions:
Terms Governing Use:
Biographical/Historical:
Putnam County was created by an act of the State Legislature on January 13, 1849 (Ch. 280, Laws). It was formed from western Saint Johns County, northeastern Alachua County, northeastern Marion County, and northwestern Orange County. From 1849 until 1887, the boundaries of Putnam County were altered slightly by the Legislature several times: in 1868, the boundary between Putnam and Saint Johns counties was changed (Ch. 1673, Laws); in 1883, the boundary between Putnam and Clay counties was changed (Ch. 3469, Laws); and in 1887, the boundary between Putnam and Marion counties was changed (Ch. 3767, Laws), leaving Putnam County with its present day boundaries. 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 Putnam County, Florida, from 1849 to 1919. The series includes probate dockets (1849-1908); probate record books (1849-1890) which include general records, inventories and accounts, homestead exemptions, petitions for letters of administration, orders, final discharges, and oaths and reports; an account book (1879-1887); will books (1898-1918); wills and letters of administration (1886-1903); and probate packages (1849-1919). 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. The general probate record books (Books A-C) contain many types of probate records including wills, estate inventories, administration records, guardian records, etc. All of the probate record books contain an index, except Wills and Letters of Administration Book S and Will Book T.
The probate dockets serve as an index to other probate records. They are arranged by estate and list all probate actions taken on each estate. Each entry includes the date of action, the nature of the proceeding, and the page and book in which the action is recorded. Each estate is assigned a file number which corresponds to the numbers on the probate packets also contained in this series.
Records of estate inventories and accounts (Account Book, Probate Record Books D and G) list the personal and real property of an estate, often with an appraised value. They also list the debtors and creditors and expenses and income of the estate. They may take the form of an annual report submitted to the probate court by the administrator or guardian which lists actions, including sales, taken during the year.
The homestead exemption book (Book F) documents real and personal property exempt from forced sale by the courts under the homestead law of 1868.
The order book (Book H) contains a record of court orders handed down in probate cases. The orders may include those appointing or discharging executors or administrators, orders for sales of estates, and orders to appraise personal and real property. The series also contains a separate volume of orders discharging guardians and administrators (Book J).
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 of the relationships between the deceased and his family and denote ownership of specific property and goods.
Administration records concern people who died intestate--having no valid will and thus no provisions for their estate. Letters of administration are the formal instruments of authority and appointment given to a person by the probate court, giving him the power of estate administrator. The series also includes the reports of administrators to the court on the actions taken on the estate and a record of the oaths taken by the administrators to perform the duties of the position (Book L).
Probate packets consist of all the original probate documents related to a specific estate. The packets consist of many of the documents described above. They are arranged by the file numbers which are recorded in the probate dockets.
Finding Aids:
Microfilm listing available.
Additional Physical Form:
Reproduction Note:
Microfilm.
Location of Originals/Duplicates:
Circuit Court, Seventh Judicial Circuit, Putnam County. Office of the Clerk. Palatka, Florida.
Associated Materials:
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Electronic Records Access:
Subject Access Fields:
Probate records Florida --Putnam County Guardian and ward Florida --Putnam County Homestead exemptions Florida Guardianship
Probate records. aat Wills. aat Estate inventories. aat Letters of administration. aat Oaths. aat
Putnam County (Fla.)
for detailed listing.