There are three published sources for transcribed and abstracted probate records of early Essex County: Essex Institute of Historical Collections [EIHC], published from 1859 to 1993, which we discussed earlier regarding criminal and civil court records; Essex
Antiquarian (1897–1909), a magazine that reprinted many abstracts published in EIHC; and The Probate Records of Essex County, Massachusetts, published in 1916, also based on work first presented in EIHC.[1]
To see original probate files and indexes, one traditionally had to travel to the county courthouse in Salem because a published index to the file numbers for Essex County probates was not done until 1987.[2] Today, we are blessed with direct access to digital images of original files:
Essex County, MA: Probate File Papers,[3] 1638–1840, in the AmericanAncestors database, and Massachusetts, Essex County, probate records, 1638-1881 at FamilySearch.org. These are the same images, but the AmericanAncestors database provides an index with direct links to each file.
Digital images of original records, which are made from microfilm images, are often both a blessing and a curse. Faded ink, bad handwriting, torn pages, missing chunks, and sometimes empty files can greet the researcher. The next step, therefore, is to look at the copies that were made from the file documents: Essex County, Massachusetts, probate records and indexes 1638-1916. The first set of records in this series is that of the docket book indexes, which present estates arranged alphabetically by name and give both the file number to the papers and the volume and page to the copybook.
The second set of records in this list is that of the images from the copybooks. It is important that both original and copybook versions be accessed, not only because the copy books may be more legible than the originals, but also because the two sets often contain different items. Documents that appear in the copy books may be missing from the probate files, and files may include additional documents not copied into the books, such as receipts of heirs, accounts of executors, records regarding disputes, etc.
With all these resources, Essex County researchers have little excuse for not thoroughly
accessing probate records, lucky you.
Notes
[1] Note: the abstracts in each of these sources are not always identical, sometimes because of copying errors or omissions, sometimes because they were made by different transcribers, but in the end requiring that researchers compare all versions with each other and with originals when available.
[2] Melinde Lutz Sanborn [now Byrne], transcriber, Essex County Massachusetts Probate Index, 1638-1840 (1987).
[3] Just to make things confusing, probate “file papers” (the original papers) are often also cataloged as “records” (which, technically, are the copy book transcriptions from the original papers).
For the hard to read original scans you could try MyHeritage’s new photo enhancer tool. It’s advertised as people photo enhancer but Thomas McEnty used it for documents. I tried it and it does work on the ones I tried.
As for finding those documents on familysearch – not so fast. Only available at the family history center. World Cat has listings for it but still too far away for me to make the trip even if they were open. So. No access for me until I pay a subscription.
Toni, no, all of the links that I gave are open to the public. If you go to https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/412735?availability=Family%20History%20Library for example and scroll down, you will see after a small pause, perhaps, it is a long list, little icons of cameras next to each roll, that means you can access directly from anywhere. If you find a camera with a slash over it, that is still restricted.
It took me a few minutes to realize that the microfilm icons only change to cameras after logging into FamilySearch.
Good to know. Thanks.
People! Just don’t save this post to your ACW folder (but do that, too). BOOKMARK the links under file sequence MASS – Essex Co — Probate — [FamSrch and EICH and Essex, etc.] Or some such sequence.
And Do NOT forget to do the same for Deeds. Which I did and wasted time re-finding links within FamilySearch. Their Wiki pages on subject matter had them.
Best wishes on everyone’s researches.
Bob, yes, I have been learning the value of keeping links as I research. Am putting them in One Note as I go, or at least when I remember to.
My introduction to the Essex Probates was in the mid-1990s, at the Mass. Archives at Columbia Point, using the microfilm index and microfilms of the copybooks. It was always a treat when the index, instead of a book and page reference, had “see file”, and I could go to the desk and request the actual case file. In that way I held the original wills of my ancestors Joseph Jewett and Humphrey Bradstreet.
(and if you are looking for the correct date of death of Joseph Jewett, not the incorrect date used by F.C. Jewett and just about every other older published source, it is in the probate file)
Now that they are available online, I still keep going back, as I am descended from about 20 17th century Essex ancestors, and am still filling in gaps.
James, I know the thrill of “see file” too, and now that I can do that at home, even better.
I was unaware of the copybook records, so this was very helpful — the original of the will of my multiply-great uncle, Francis Skerry, is missing from the probate file, making the copy that much more significant.
I did wind up rummaging around among the images before finding the correct one. Seems as if there should have been a more direct way to access it; did I miss something?
[BTW please note the “s” at the end of my surname to avoid confusion, as has occurred in the past, with the estimable Christopher C. _Child_ of NEHGS.]
Christopher, no, I don’t think there is any more direct way of searching through the images, but let me know if you find one. Thanks for the Child/Childs update, I thought you were one and the same! Best,