Q: I am trying to locate the wills of some ancestors to prove lineage. If someone did not have a will would they have had some other type of legal document to settle their affairs? Years would include 1930, 1884, 1873, 1827. Thank you for any tips or advice. -- Pamela

A: The will is just one part of probating an estate. While you will find that many of your ancestors wrote wills, all is not lost if your ancestor did not have one. If your ancestor had real or personal property then there will be a probating of the estate.

Testate vs. Intestate Estates

There are two types of estates — testate and intestate. A testate estate is one in which the deceased has made out a will. An intestate estate is where the person dies without having made a will...

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