How to use the Jefferson Parish Probate (successions) Records on microfilm. Rita Curry-Pittman, Kenner, LA March 25, 2005 ************************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************** Microfilmed in 1965 by the Latter Day Saints, the records from 1825 to 1900 on microfilm are available locally at the Latter Day Saints (LDS) facilities at 5025 Cleveland St., Metairie; at the Jefferson Parish Public Library at 4747 West Napoleon Avenue in Metairie, LA (JPL), and at the New Orleans Public Library at Loyola and Tulane Avenues in New Orleans, LA (NOPL). Original documents are held in the Jefferson Parish Court House Archives, Gretna, LA As microfilmed, it is not easy to comprehend which roll of microfilm to access. The problems are many. One problem that contributes to this is the LDS boxes were marked with time frames of the records but time frames are not necessarily followed one film after the other, nor do they correspond with the time frames in the index book. And, sometime frames on the boxes have over-lapping time periods. Also, the parish court moved several times before ending up in Gretna. Each time the court moved it became a different court number and the courts began again with suit (docket) number one. When the Civil War was in full swing, dockets were filed in the archives as “Docket C” records. Then there are records marked “Docket X,” etc. So, when someone found a name in the index book, they could not figure out which roll of film to go to. The records needed to be examined and explained. Presumably, all facilities file their microfilm numerically by the numbers assigned by LDS. However, at JPL, those same film rolls are also marked with large dot labels of two shades of blue. The first two rolls are a different shade of blue. These contain the index created by the court house to help them locate records stored there. This will help you find names of the deceased whose succession was filed. At JPL there are two over-sized books containing this same index. The two books are duplicates, one with a hard cover and the one with a soft cover. The one with the flexible cover has been used to record the exact microfilm roll and, in most cases, the film marker number that will help you find that succession’s position on the roll of film. Later, that information will be transferred to the hard cover book. Meanwhile, date found on each roll has been being uploaded to the Jefferson Parish usgenweb site. If you access http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/la/lasearch.htm and ask for Jefferson Parish Probate and the name of the person, it will automatically bring up any record reviewed thus far that contains that name. In some cases this means I have read an entire docket and in others I have only recorded what is in the court index book plus the film number and possibly the film marker as another aide. In the case of having read an entire docket, if the maiden name of a woman or name of a relative was given, those names will be found by the online search. The book is broken down alphabetically and also by time frames. The first page begins the “A” section. On that first page of any letter of the alphabet you will notice time frames which are noted in the right hand column “Title.” The time frames are 1825-1845, 1845-1862, 1862-1868, 1868-1880, 1880-1892, 1892-1896, 1896-1900, etc. When looking for Adams you must look for that name in each time frame. When you find a name you want, write down the hand written JPL two digit roll number in the first column, the suit or docket number in the second column, the name given, and the six digit film marker number if I have entered it. If the Adams record is on roll 25, find that roll in the drawers marked Probate Records. Look for the dark blue dot label marked 25. If the Adams record is at film marker 000005, your record is the first one on the film. If the Adams record is at film marker 000685, your record is more likely near or at the end of the film. If the Adams record is at film marker B-000005, your record is in the second half of that film. The “B” was inserted on two films where the film marker numbers began a second time at 000001. Therefore, numbers prefixed by B are on the last part of the film. The second index book continues from 1900 to 1952. However, only the films covering 1825 to 1900 were released for general viewing at libraries. While you can find the names listed in the index, anything past 1900 is only available at the Jefferson Parish Archives in Gretna, Louisiana. If property is mentioned in a succession you can also retrieve that record from the LDS microfilm of Jefferson Parish Conveyance Records. These films are stored in two drawers below the three drawers of probate films. The index to the conveyance records is on the last rolls of this series and are filed behind the right hand row and in the next drawer down. Using this index is a little complicated. The photographer set up his camera and the court house index book without moving the book. On the first half of the microfilm you advance alphabetically from A to B. Then the book was turned upside down and photographed page by page from the back of the book to get the back side of the pages. Thus, if you are looking for the surname Armbruster you would look on the first half of the film and again on the second half of the film. Where you find Armbruster, note the page number series. Perhaps this was on page 45 but also note there is page 45 a, b, c, d, e, f, and g, etc. This is because names are in alpha groups, not in strict alpha sequence. All names beginning with “Ar” would be listed within the group of pages 45 a, c, e, g on the first half of the film and pages 45 b, d, and f will be on the second half of the film. Further confusion may be encountered where common names have been segregated and placed behind an alpha grouping. Where Armbruster is not a common name, Adams is very common. Adams may have a page all to itself. Rather than placing Adams in with other “Ad” names, the special sheet will be found behind the alpha series where one would expect to find Adams. So, search for such common names as Adams, Jones, Johnson, Smith, etc., behind those alpha sections. The pages in the conveyance records index show Vendee (buyer) and Vendor (seller) type of sale, date, book and page (folio). Successions always have judgements and these are filed in the conveyance records when landed property changes hands. In one case, I could not find my ancestor’s succession. It wasn’t even found at the court house archives. Then I looked in conveyance records and began looking up various records. The entire succession that was missing from the probate records was recorded in full in the conveyance records book. Therefore, it pays to look for conveyance records. As with the probate records on film, the conveyance records on film at the library are limited to 1825 to 1900. Anything past that point has to be accessed at the Jefferson Parish Archives in Gretna, Louisiana. Marriage records books which were at a facility on Forth street in Gretna have been moved to the new parish office building in Gretna near the old building where you have reported for jury duty for many years. All of the above records are on the second floor of the new building. Turn right when you leave the elevator. Go down the hall. At the end of that hall on the left is the conveyance records room. Or, turn right and continue down another hall and then left again and you will come to the room where the marriage records are kept. The conveyance records are now on computer but you cannot get it for free via internet. There is a stiff fee for that. You can access those records on their computers in the conveyance office.