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PA genealogy

Naomi

How can I access a copy of the family Bible or last will or land deed for a distant relative who lived in PA 

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  • 0

    Wills and land records should be archived by the county where your relative lived. You can search the FamilySearch.org catalog for the location: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog . Select the "Online" option. Also search for the same locations in their "Images" section which has records that have not been indexed yet.

    You can also contact county clerks directly to ask about their archives.

    A family Bible is trickier. Have you contacted all family members / descendants who may have inherited it? You can also try local historical and genealogical societies to see if it was donated. Another resource would be ArchiveGrid: https://researchworks.oclc.org/archivegrid/  Search for Smith family bible (substituting the relevant surname, of course) Also search FamilySearch.org's catalog for Smith family bible in the Keywords. Someone may have summarized and published it already.

  • 0 in reply to ASB

    thank you for your response  re the family Bible: my sister and I are the only remaining relatives. I have spoken with her regarding this & she does not have the Bible showing the father-son relationship of Martin to Martin.  She has posted some info on the MyHeritage site but no documents supporting the father-son relationship I am looking for. 

  • 0 in reply to Naomi

    The man who died in 1881 was Martin Boughter, according to his gravestone shown at FindaGrave. There were probate proceedings for him according to a newspaper listing in the Daily Patriot, (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania) December 1, 1885 issue. (I don't know why the probate was delayed for years.) That lists Charles E. Welker as the Administrator for Martin Boughter, Decedent. Based on the 1880 US Census, Charles Welker was Martin Boughter's son-in-law, married to Matilda.

    Dauphin County probate records do exist for that time. Try FamilySearch.org's Catalog AND Images sections to see what may be online.

  • 0 in reply to ASB

    Thank you. I tried but was not able to access the Dauphin County probate records or that newspaper. 

    I have emailed a friend who has access to Ancestry to see if she could locate the probate records there. I do not have that access. 

  • 0 in reply to Naomi

    FamilySearch.org is a FREE website (with registration.) Dauphin County probate records are available there. You can find various records using the Catalog and the Images sections at the site.

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