HOW A WILL CAN HELP IN RESEARCH

                                                                                   Cast-iron evidence of family relationships

                                                                                            Indication of the wealth of testator

                                                                                            May provide burial information

                                                                             Helps draw a bigger pcture of the family

Wills are not always the easiest documents to read because they contain a lot of legal words and phrases unfamiliar to us. Following these simple guidelines below should help you.

Read the whole document through for a start. It doesn't matter if you can't read or understand all the words, you will get a good idea of what the will is telling you.

Make a copy of the will and number the lines at both ends of the line. This will prevent you dropping down a line as you read it. Don't use a ruler to keep the lines intact because words have letters with tails and may also have contractions or abbreviations.

Identify the words you can read – very often these are simple words like and, it, them, for and so on.

From those words compile an alphabet of both upper and lower case letters.

As you read through the will, use a highlighter pen to mark the words you cannot read.

Transcribe the will line-by-line – it is good practice. Keep in mind the ten points to look for in a will.

Write the words exactly as you read them. Wills often contain old fashioned words which are no longer in use.

Use a magnifying glass to examine your highlighted words and then break them down, letter by letter, using your compiled alphabet It does not always work but again it is good practice.

The more practice you get, the more experienced you will become at reading wills.

Take a look at the article on old handwriting on this website. There are more tips there on deciphering old documents.

More people than you think left a will and it is amazing what small but important and significant details will be revealed. For example, you may find that, contrary to the expected traditions, the eldest son did not inherit the bulk of the estate. Why was that? It could be a clue to some other family problem you have encountered. Sometimes, the names of other family members, previously unknown to you, may be revealed.

At first glance, wills are difficult to read let alone comprehend what has been written and what it all means. But do not despair. Approach the problem in a systematic logical way; use the ten points mentioned to guide you along the way. You may be surprised at what you can find!