Where there’ s a Will, there’ s a Way!
Some of the most detailed information that you can discover about family relationships are in court records. Among the most valuable for genealogical research are wills and the associated probate records. In particular, in the years before census records recorded individuals by name, these records are among the few official government records that explicitly include family relationships.
A will typically begin with a statement that the testator( the one making the will) is of sound mind and body, that this is his last will and testament, and that all previous wills are revoked. After that, the testator typically says that he intends his debts to be paid. Finally, the testator lists each item of personal property and to whom that item is willed. There are usually provisions indicating to whom each item would go in case the person willed the property passes away. When property is willed to a minor, there are often stipulations on how much the minor will inherit and under what circumstances. For example, the will could indicate that a minor would only receive certain money when he reaches a certain age. When family members are willed property, their relationship to the testator is usually specified.
In the absence of a will, an application for letters of administration is generally filed. This document will list information about the deceased’ s next of kin and his property. For example, when my father’ s uncle, Clinton Cox, passed away, with no widow or children, his brothers filed a document with the judge of the probate court stating: The undesigned hereby makes application to be appointed as administrator of the estate of Clinton A. Cox late of the City of Cleveland in said county, deceased, and on oath states that
by Robert Cox
Finding Your Family History said Clinton A. Cox died on or about the 6th day of April 1928, intestate, leaving no widow and the following named persons, his next of kin:
Applicant further states that there is not to his knowledge and last will and testament of said decedent in existence. That the whole personal estate of said decedent consists of: one Studebaker Automobile coupe 1921; two Boston Bull Terriers; Eighteen Dollars in Cash; Household Furniture. The real estate of said decedent consists of house and lot at No. 1507 E. 65th St., Cleveland, Ohio.
A great place to find wills and other probate records is by using the free FamilySearch“ Full Text” feature. Go to www. familysearch. org and click on the“ Search” drop down menu. From there select“ Full Text.” This will bring up a form where you can enter and name, place, and year range:
Putting the name in quotes let’ s you indicate that the first and last name should appear together in the searched document.
The Clark Family Farm
The Clark Family: Adults: Chris, his sister Megan Gullberg, his grandmother Beverly( Sprout) Clark, his brother-in-law Karl Gullberg. Karl & Megan’ s four children: Reese, Elijah, Adalyn, and Kynzie. A fifth is on the way!
Clark, continued from page 3
bouncing around for school and work.” Realizing how much local government impacts daily life, Chris applied for, and was appointed to, the city’ s Human Relations and Planning Commissions, and served on the council from 2013 – 2021. He served as mayor in 2014. Chris was reelected for a third term in 2024. Looking back on his public service in our city, Chris is most proud of completing the Community Center, Aquatics Center, and extensions to the city’ s trail systems.
As the first gay mayor, Chris also cherishes the first time the city flew the Pride flag at the Civic Center Plaza. After the event, city staff handed Chris a box filled with deeply personal notes that had been spontaneously left at the base of the flagpole by community members sharing their journeys and thanking the council for making them feel safe. Chris notes,“ Even seemingly small, symbolic actions can matter more than you expect.”
Chris offers the following advice to young people pursuing a career in tech or politics:“ Take calculated risks while time is still on your side, especially when rare and exciting opportunities arise. Don’ t be afraid to make mistakes, learn from them, and adjust course. Ask for help. Mentors are often closer and more accessible than you think. And when you succeed, pay it forward. That’ s how careers— and communities— are built.”
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