Essex County Massachusetts Probate Records 1635-1664

Sample Last Will and Testament

The “Governor and Company of Massachusetts Bay” established a judicial system in 1628, with a General Court in Boston and quarterly courts in major towns like Salem and Ipswich by 1635. These courts managed probate matters, and after Essex County’s formation in 1643, individual probate courts were later established in 1692. These are the probate records from 1635 to 1664, sourced from various original documents, including detailed wills and estate settlements.

Marriages of Orange County, Virginia, 1747-1810

Marriages of Orange County, Virginia, 1747-1810

Catherine Lindsay Knorr’s Marriages of Orange County, Virginia, 1747-1810 stands as a pivotal work for genealogists and historians delving into the rich tapestry of Virginia’s past. Published in 1959, this meticulously compiled volume sheds light on the matrimonial alliances formed within Orange County, Virginia, during a period that was crucial to the shaping of both local and national histories. The absence of a contemporary marriage register presented a formidable challenge, yet through exhaustive examination of marriage bonds, ministers’ returns, and ancillary records, Knorr has reconstructed a reliable record of these marriages.