Learn to Make a Probate Search in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

by Carol B. Moss of FamilySearch

FamilySearch.org Historical Record Collection has a fabulous collection for Probate Records in Pennsylvania for 1683-1994. That’s the good news. If you’re searching for a will in Allegheny County, that may be the “bad news” because it’s easier said than done. Actually there is a process that is successful when followed carefully. You’ll want to know it before you attempt such a search. . .

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The “Pennsylvania, Probate Records, 1683-1994” collection is a browsable collection which means it is not indexed. You will have to search through the collection much like turning a microfilm on a reader. It’s not as hard as it sounds. Begin by clicking on “Browse through 3,201,289 images” and select Allegheny County. It takes 3 steps to get to a Will (if there is one) in this county. The first step is to look in the Allegheny County Estate Index for an individual’s listing. Just choose the link according to the surname and first name you are looking for. Click and browse. You must learn the Russell Key Index System at the front of each volume. It will give you the page to go to in the collection. Now start browsing.

Once you’ve found your person in the index, you must use the information (i.e. volume, page and block) to take you to the “Proceedings Index”. (The “block” number is for one of the “squares” on the index page.)  See below: the name, death date and place, the Executrix, and the volume #, page # and block #