Idaho Law Blog
From grade school through college, most Americans learned the about the nation’s most famous historical figures, but a vast, new trove of documents, including wills and probate records, contains information not found in most history books. These records of America’s most famous citizens are now just a mouse click away thanks to Ancestry.com. A Utah based company, Ancestry.com, has digitized the wills and probate records of about 100 million Americans dating from the Colonial era to the beginning of the 21st century.
It’s a vast and invaluable resource for ordinary Americans who through the internet can now dig even further into their family roots. Looking at a will is like pulling a thread on family history. Wealth, possessions, family relationships can be followed down the generations for millions of U.S. citizens ranging from obscure relatives to famous historical figures.
According to Jennifer Utley, senior manager of research at Ancestry.com’s Utah headquarters “What you find in probate records and wills are the rich stories about what mattered enough to pass down and a wealth of information about family history. They paint a more beautiful picture of people’s lives.”
These documents have been hidden in dusty basements and storage areas in courthouses across the country for centuries. For three years Ancestry.com has worked to digitize these documents to bring them all together in one place for the first time. The massive collection of documents and information is a goldmine for historians, genealogists, and those who are just curious about the rich and famous throughout U.S. history.
These documents and information area available to the public starting Wednesday, September 2, 2015. Jennifer Utley predicts that “People are going to get lost in this collection.” We agree.
If you have any questions about Wills our [Idaho, Pocatello, Idaho Falls, Boise] Estate Planning Team of lawyers can provide you with the answers you seek. Please contact us.
Call us toll free at 877-232-6101 or 208-232-6101 for a consultation with Lane Erickson and the Racine Olson team of Estate Planning attorneys in Pocatello Idaho. You can also email Lane Erickson directly at lve@racinelaw.net. We will answer your Pocatello Idaho Estate Planning questions and will help you determine how to meet your personal estate planning needs.