Records of The Orphans Court

What’s In That Record?

Special Note: a child was considered an ‘orphan’ after the death of one parent if there was an estate involved.

Orphans Court Proceedings

The Orphans Court Proceedings is an account of the activities of each court day. The Orphans Court does not only oversee the estates of minors but all estates if the deceased did not leave a written will.

Ø What you may find in the Orphans Court Proceedings

ü Indentures of orphan children – the child and responsible adult, the age of the child

ü Apprenticeships of children – the child and responsible adult, the age of the child

ü Appointment of Guardians – the child and guardian, the age of the child, the child’s deceased parent

ü Presentation of the Guardian Accounts for approval naming the minor/minors and guardian

ü Guardian Bonds – approval for the sureties named for the guardian

ü Presentation of the Annual Valuation of estate for approval naming the minor/minors and guardian, terms resulting from the valuation

ü Cases of dispute questioning the guardian, division of estate, etc. indicating the referees appointed to settle the case

ü Appointment of Administrators and Executors for estates – good tool for determining death dates

ü Applications to sell estates and the terms of sale

ü Applications for property valuations

ü Applications for distribution of the estate amongst the legal heirs

ü Change of guardians, administrators and executors

ü Finalization of guardianship, administration and executorships, indentures, etc. A good tool for determining ages.

ü Presentations of inventories, accounts of sale, accounts of distributions, accounts of debts and debts due the estate, and accounts of administration.

ü Heirs of the Estates

ü Remarriage of widow

Note: Age of the minors can easily be determined by how many times the accounts were presented before finalization. When the accounts were finalized you know the minors were of legal age which gives you their year of birth. Sometimes the month of birth will be given when the guardian is appointed.

Note: The Orphans Court Proceedings for Caroline County number the accounts presented – i.e. John Doe presented his fifth/fifth and final account of guardianship for Sarah and John Doe.

Annual Valuations

Annual Valuations were requested by the person serving as guardian to minors with an estate. This determined the yearly value of that minor’s estate. They were sometimes ordered by the Orphan’s Court. The Valuations were presented to the Orphan’s Court annually and when approved, recorded among the court records.

Ø What you may find in the Annual Valuations –

ü The name of the minors or heirs

ü The name of the deceased who owned the estate

ü The current guardian

ü The name of the land tract and acreage

ü If the estate is subject to “dower rights” – an indication the mother still survives

ü Heirs of legal age not included under the guardianship

ü The Annual Value of the estate

ü The appraisers

ü The date of the Valuation – an indication to the death date of the deceased

ü The Improvements – a description of all buildings on the property with dimensions and condition.

ü Other Improvements – gardens, orchards, shops, mills, fields, crops, etc.

ü Distribution of Slaves

Note: a combination of Valuations and Land Records make it possible to have a complete understanding of the physical surroundings of your ancestors.

Guardian Accounts

Guardian Accounts are the annual account presented to the court by the guardian to receive approval for reimbursement for the expenditures to maintain the orphans and their estate throughout the year.

Ø What you may find in the Guardian Accounts

ü The name of the minor or minors

ü The name of the guardian

ü The name of the deceased parent

ü The names of the people paid for a service and their occupation

ü The names of the businesses items were purchased from

ü Expenditures i.e. tailor, teacher, dance instructor, field hand, seamstress, hatter, store owner, carpenter, plasterer, Doctor, etc.

ü The amount of expenses

ü The amount, if any, in excess of expenses to be applied to the minors estate

Note: These records indicate the kind of daily life your ancestors led. The quality of life can be determined by the types of fabrics purchases for clothing, the type of clothes and shoes that were made, their education and other instruction, and their medical attention.

Guardian Bonds

A guardian bond provided security for the minor that whoever was responsible for his estate was financially secure to do so.

Ø What you may find in the Guardian Bonds

ü The name of the orphan or minor

ü The name of the surviving parent, guardian or administrator of the estate

ü The name of the deceased parent

ü The name of the sureties providing the necessary security for the parent, guardian or administrator

ü Siblings of the orphan or minor

ü The amount of security required

Indentures

Also referred to as ‘bound’ children or apprenticeship

Ø What you may find in an Indenture

ü The name of the minor or orphan

ü The age of the minor, sometimes with day and month

ü The length of servitude

ü The name of the person the child was ‘bound’ to

ü The trade the minor would apprentice

ü The education the minor was to receive

ü What was owed to the child at the expiration of his or her servitude, i.e. clothing, tools of the trade, etc.

ü The name of the minor’s parent

ü The sureties providing security for the contract

ü The amount of security required