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Florida. Circuit Court (1st Circuit : Santa Rosa County)
Title, Dates:
Probate records, 1878-1960.
Amount:
5.00 microfilm reel 35 mm.
Medium Included:
Organization/Arrangement:
Chronological.
Restrictions:
Terms Governing Use:
Biographical/Historical:
Santa Rosa County was created by an act of the Legislative Council on February 18, 1842 (Territorial Laws, 1842, No. 1). It was formed from the eastern section of Escambia County. In 1852, Santa Rosa's boundary with Walton County was altered slightly (Ch. 571, Laws). Some Santa Rosa court records were destroyed by a county courthouse fire in 1869. In 1915, Okaloosa County was created in part from the eastern portion of Santa Rosa County (Ch. 6937, 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 Santa Rosa County, Florida, from 1878 to 1960. The series includes probate record books (1878-1927), letters of guardianship (1924-1960) and letters testamentary (1924-1957). 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 probate record books contain many types of probate records including wills, probate court orders, letters of administration, estate inventories and appraisals, oaths, bonds, and estate returns. The record books are indexed.
The need for a guardian usually occurs when a decedent is survived by minor children who by law are not considered capable of managing their own life. Thus the court appoints a guardian. The guardianship records include petitions for guardianship, letters of guardianship, orders appointing guardians, and guardianship oaths and bonds. The guardianship record is indexed.
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. The letters testamentary book includes applications, orders, letters, oaths, and bonds. The book is indexed.
Finding Aids:
Microfilm listing available.
Additional Physical Form:
Reproduction Note:
Microfilm.
Location of Originals/Duplicates:
Circuit Court, First Judicial Circuit, Santa Rosa County. Office of the Clerk. Milton, Florida.
Associated Materials:
Language Notes:
Ownership/Custodial History:
Publication Note:
General Note:
Electronic Records Access:
Subject Access Fields:
Probate records Florida --Santa Rosa County Guardian and ward Florida --Santa Rosa County Insurance, Surety and fidelity Florida Property appraisal. Guardianship
Probate records. aat Wills. aat Estate inventories. aat Letters of administration. aat Oaths. aat
Santa Rosa County (Fla.)
for detailed listing.