Ancestry Launches Largest Online Collection of Wills and Probate Records in United States

Just remember where you heard about this first, here on the Family Roots and Branches blog on Monday. ;-)

Ancestry.com Operations Inc Press Release. 8:30 am EDT

PROVO, UT--(Marketwired - September 02, 2015) - More than 170 million pages from the largest collection of wills and probate records in the United States is now available online exclusively on Ancestry. With searchable records included from all 50 states spread over 337 years (1668-2005), this unprecedented collection launches a new category of records for family history research never before available online at this scale the United States.

Until now, these records have only been available offline. Ancestry spent more than two years bringing this collection online, working with hundreds of different archives from individual state and local courts across the country and making a $10M investment to license and digitize the records. The documents cover well over 100 million people, including the deceased as well as their family, friends and others involved in the probate process. Ancestry expects to continue to grow the collection, with additional records available over the next several years.

"Ancestry has worked hard over the past decade, to make available a variety of collections that can help the most seasoned family history expert and novices alike learn more about their ancestors," said Todd Godfrey, Vice President of Global Content. "Ancestry's vast collection of billions of unique historic records makes it the only place online that can give people such a comprehensive view into their family's unique history."

Today, state and federal census records are the most commonly searched collections in family history research, offering a variety of information that is important for building out your family tree. Wills however are one of the most desired types of records, as they can be a treasure trove of information that provides insight into your ancestors' lives, loves, land, and possessions.

"Wills can offer an incredible view into the lives of your ancestors, going beyond names and dates, and providing insight into their personality, character, achievements, relationships, and more," said Godfrey. "Reading these records you will find a deeper level of understanding about who your ancestors were, who they cared about, what they treasured, and how they lived."

There is something for everyone in the new U.S. Wills and Probate collection on Ancestry, whether you are an experienced family historian or new to the pursuit. Some examples of what can be found in the collection include:

• Rich Stories -- A deeper level of understanding is possible when you learn about the more intricate details of your ancestors' lives through their eyes; details that can tell new or more compelling stories of their everyday existence, and perhaps, shed light on their character and personality, as well as important subtext that can reflect the type of lifestyle, education, and status an ancestor may have had through language or possessions.
• New Discoveries -- Whether valuable heirlooms, sizable estates, or meager but treasured belongings to pass down, the riches of your ancestor's lives can be found in a will. Family research can be fun when you "follow the money" and see who wound up with what or even, to which charities or organizations a person's estate was entrusted.
• Friends and Family Members -- Many additional names can be found in a will in addition to the deceased. Wills can reveal new family members you didn't know about, and identify new connections, and tell more about the relationships between people mentioned in the will. Intriguing controversies can be seen as you read about those close to them who were included in the will, and those who were cut out.

With a collection that begins with wills from the mid 17^th century running through the early 21^st, last wishes and estates of notables citizens that helped shape the nation over the past three hundred years can be found in this new collection of Wills and Probates, including past Presidents, businessmen, entrepreneurs, sports legends, famous entertainers, artists and writers, scientists, and much, much more.

Here are the records available as of today:

Alabama, Wills and Probate Records, 1753-1999
Alaska, Wills and Probate Records, 1883-1978
Arizona, Wills and Probate Records, 1803-1995
Arkansas, Wills and Probate Records, 1783-1998
California, Wills and Probate Records, 1782-1999
Colorado, Wills and Probate Records, 1875-1974
Connecticut, Wills and Probate Records, 1609-1999 
Delaware, Wills and Probate Records, 1676-1971  
Florida, Wills and Probate Records, 1810-1974
Georgia, Wills and Probate Records, 1742-1992  
Hawaii, Wills and Probate Records, 1822-1962  
Idaho, Wills and Probate Records, 1857-1989
Illinois, Wills and Probate Records, 1772-1999
Indiana, Wills and Probate Records, 1798-1999
Iowa, Wills and Probate Records, 1758-1997
Kansas, Wills and Probate Records, 1803-1987
Kentucky, Wills and Probate Records, 1774-1989
Louisiana, Wills and Probate Records, 1756-1984
Maine, Wills and Probate Records, 1584-1999
Maryland, Wills and Probate Records, 1604-1878
Massachusetts, Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991
Michigan, Wills and Probate Records, 1784-1980
Minnesota, Wills and Probate Records, 1801-1999
Mississippi, Wills and Probate Records, 1780-1982
Missouri, Wills and Probate Records, 1766-1988
Montana, Wills and Probate Records, 1831-1952
Nebraska, Wills and Probate Records, 1806-1989
Nevada, Wills and Probate Records, 1906-1925
New Hampshire, Wills and Probate Records, 1643-1982
New Jersey, Wills and Probate Records, 1656-1999
New Mexico, Wills and Probate Records, 1801-1993
New York County, New York, Wills and Probate Records, 1658-1880 (NYSA) 
New York, Wills and Probate Records, 1659-1999
North Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998
North Dakota and South Dakota, Wills and Probate Records, 1800-1985
Oklahoma, Wills and Probate Records, 1801-2008
Oregon, Wills and Probate Records, 1833-1963
Pennsylvania, Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993
Rhode Island, Wills and Probate Records, 1582-1932
South Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1670-1980
Tennessee, Wills and Probate Records, 1727-2008
Texas, Wills and Probate Records, 1800-2000
Utah, Wills and Probate Records, 1800-1985
Vermont, Wills and Probate Records, 1749-1999
Washington, D.C., Wills and Probate Records, 1737-1952
Washington, Wills and Probate Records, 1807-1997
West Virginia, Wills and Probate Records, 1724-1978
Wisconsin, Wills and Probate Records, 1800-1987
To celebrate the launch of the new U.S. Wills and Probates collection on Ancestry, the collection along with all U.S. birth, marriage and death records, will be available to explore for FREE, September 2 (12pm MT) through September 7 (10pm MT).