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.
Indexes are alphabetical; record books are chronological.
Restrictions:
Terms Governing Use:
Biographical/Historical:
Volusia County was created by an act of the State Legislature on December 29, 1854 (Ch. 624, Laws). It was formed from northern portions of Orange County. In 1870, the Legislature further defined the boundary lines of Volusia County (Ch. 1764, Laws). In 1879, the southern portion of Volusia County was ceded to Brevard County (Ch. 3175, Laws). In 1917, Flagler County was created in part from portions of northern Volusia County (Ch. 7399, 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 Volusia County, Florida, from 1855 to 1962. The series includes indexes to the County Judge's office (1856-1962), miscellaneous records books (1855-1872), will books (1876-1922), and letters of administration (1876-1897). 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 indexes to the County Judge's office index the instruments filed in the probate court. Information for each entry includes filing date, name, classification (deceased, insane, minor, etc.), assigned filing number, and the book and page in which the instrument is recorded.
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.
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 miscellaneous record book contains various instruments filed in the probate court. The documents include estate inventories, wills, letters testamentary, letters of administration, petitions, and oaths of administrators/executors.
Finding Aids:
Microfilm listing available.
Additional Physical Form:
Reproduction Note:
Microfilm.
Location of Originals/Duplicates:
Circuit Court, Seventh Judicial Circuit, Volusia County. Office of the Clerk. DeLand, Florida.
Associated Materials:
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Electronic Records Access:
Subject Access Fields:
Probate records Florida --Volusia County Decedents' estates Florida Insurance, Surety and fidelity Florida
Probate records. aat Wills. aat Estate inventories. aat Letters of administration. aat
Volusia County (Fla.)
for detailed listing.