"FORWARD"
from Mrs. Majors book.
One of the most often overlooked source of genealogy in Tennessee is that found in the Administrator's Settlement Books. Those persons who were by law responsible for distributing the proceeds of an estate, either testate or intestate, were required t o report this to the court, and have the same recorded. The relationship of the heirs to the deceased, even if not spelled out within the settlement, is easily discerned by simple mathematics. It is necessary to check these documents for many years past the known date of death, since settlements often did not occur until after the death of the spouse who held life estate. Often three or more generations are given in one document when the settlement was delayed so long that the original heirs had died, leaving grandchildren or even great-grandchildren to inherit. There are also amendments to original settlements, showing heirs omitted in the first distribution, or recording the death of one of the original heirs.
Administrator's Settlement Book, 1846-1856
Administrator's settlement Book, 1854-1865
Administrator's settlement Book, 1866-1886
The settlement Books covering the years 1866-1886 are missing. The following book covering the years
1870-1873, although labeled "Administrator's Settlement Book", is not of the same type as those preceeding
or following it.
Administrator's settlement Book, 1870-1873
Administrator's settlement Book, 1886-1907
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