New York, Queens County Probate Records, 1785-1950

What is in This Collection?

This Collection consists of images of probate records and proceedings from the Queens County Surrogate's Court in Jamaica, New York. This collection is being published as images become available. It covers the years 1785 to 1950.

Probate records were court documents and may have involved loose papers and/or bound volumes generally known as an estate file or probate packet. These files included all documents related to estate settlement, such as:

• Settlement papers
• Inventories
• Receipts
• Wills

Other records pertaining to the estates include:

• Accounts
• Administrations
• Appraisals
• Minutes
• Bonds
• Petitions
• Guardianships
• Inventories
• Settlements

General Information About Probate Records

Probate records are used to legally dispose of a person’s estate after his or her death. The probate process transfers the legal responsibility for payment of taxes, care and custody of dependent family members, liquidation of debts, and transfer of property title. The transfer is to an executor or executrix if the deceased had made a will, to an administrator or administratrix if the deceased had not made a will, or to a guardian or conservator if the deceased had heirs under the age of twenty-one or if heirs were incompetent due to disease or disability.

Probate records fall into two general categories: wills and estate papers. Most records mention the names of heirs and frequently specify how those heirs are related. Names of children may be given, as well as married names of daughters. Probate records may not give an exact death date, but a death most often occurred within a few months of the date of probate. The exact contents of probate records vary greatly depending on the prevailing law and the personality of the record keeper.

To Browse This Collection

Additional records and/or images may be added to this collection in the future.

What Can These Records Tell Me?

The following information may be found in these records:

Probate

• Name of testator or deceased
• Names of heirs such as spouse, children, and other relatives or friends
• Names of witnesses
• Residence of testator
• Lists of belongings, property, and so forth
• Document and recording dates (Sometimes the date of death will be given. Recording dates are also used to approximate event dates, i.e. a letter of administration was usually written shortly after the time of death.)

Collection Content

Sample Image

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  1866 Summons