Review: Inheritance in Ontario : Wills and Other Records for Family Historians by Jane E. MacNamara

Inheritance in Ontario : Wills and Other Records for Family Historians by Jane E. MacNamara, Dundurn, 2013, 138 p.

            Part of the Dundurn Press’ Genealogist’s Reference Shelf series, this book by Jane E. MacNamara examines estate files in Ontario.  Wills, probate records and other estate files can provide a wealth of information for the genealogist, not found in other sources.  Sometimes these documents will include details concerning the personal holdings of an individual.  If you are lucky, they might clearly define the relationships within a family, and bring to light the state of these relationships at the time of an individual’s death.  But finding these documents can present a challenge, and this is where this guide proves most useful.  The author helps readers discover if their ancestor even had a will and to locate the court in which these records were likely to have been handled.

            MacNamara presents a concise history of court records of Ontario starting in 1763, and goes on to discuss the various court documents and processes up to the current day.  She presents information regarding the Court of Probate (1763-1858), the Surrogate Courts (1793-1989), Records of Inheritance in the Land Registry Office, as well as other records of inheritance that may have been produced outside of the courts.

            Included in the book is a glossary of basic terms found in estate records, a detailed listing of repositories in which these records may be kept, and numerous case studies illustrative of specific situations found in estate records.  Also provided are two helpful appendices.  The first Surrogate Courts Archival Series Numbers , lists numbers designated by the Archives of Ontario for each county.  The second appendix, Published Indexes to Ontario Estate Records, also arranged by country, directs readers to indexes that were compiled by historical or genealogical societies, and private citizens to aid in locating various estate records.  A good index, along with helpful illustrations, boosts reader-friendliness.

            This well-researched, comprehensive overview of estate records provides the Ontario researcher with the required knowledge to locate those elusive, but genealogically valuable wills and probate records.