TARRANT COUNTY, TX
Tarrant County Archives
Stewart Title Abstracts of Probate
Overview: Stewart Title Company donated to the Tarrant County Archives their collection of probate records accumulated for title ownership of real property under examination. These probate records, covering a time frame from 1864 to 1955, may be incomplete with regard to the actual probate filings because only those probate documents pertaining to the ownership of real property were needed for title examination of real property.
Please note that this is privately abstracted information, not official Probate Records. In viewing the database below, the Probate Court case number is shown. Full and complete documents may be obtained by applying this case number to The County Clerk Probate Database. The Stewart Title Abstracts of Probate database is accessible in a print version by visiting the Tarrant County Archives, or by accessing the Portable Document Format (PDF) below. Following the link is a key to abbreviations used in the database.
Key to Abbreviations Used:
AKA = Also Known As
AppGuardian;Inventory = A petition is made to the Probate Court on behalf of minor children or a person of unsound mind, to appoint a guardian to manage their estate. An inventory is made of what real and personal property may belong to the minor or person of unsound mind that is to be managed. Sometimes there may be need for an immediate sale of the real property and rather than an inventory, there are documents relating to the sale of the property and a report made to the Probate Court.
ApptAdmin/TempAdmin;Inventory = A petition has been made to the Probate Court to appoint an administrator or temporary administrator of the estate and an inventory is made of the deceased persons property. Usually this occurs when a person dies without a will or there is an immediate need to take care of the business of the estate prior to the probate of the will.
App to Administer the Estate = Same as above but usually not as involved.
ApptAppraisers;Inventory = The Probate Court appoints a person or company to appraise the property and provide a list to the court of their findings in the form of an Inventory.
CC or Cert Copy Will/Probate/Guard/Guardian Dallas Cty, TX = A certified copy of the probate proceedings that were made in another county in Texas or another state. The reason to obtain such a document is that the deceased also owned property in Tarrant County at the time of their death and/or a guardianship was set up. In these instances the column 'Additional Notes' may list the documents received, i.e., copy of the will or copy of the inventory.
Con = Contested probate
AppGuardian;Inventory = A petition is made to the Probate Court on behalf of minor children or a person of unsound mind, to appoint a guardian to manage their estate. An inventory is made of what real and personal property may belong to the minor or person of unsound mind that is to be managed. Sometimes there may be need for an immediate sale of the real property and rather than an inventory, there are documents relating to the sale of the property and a report made to the Probate Court.
ApptAdmin/TempAdmin;Inventory = A petition has been made to the Probate Court to appoint an administrator or temporary administrator of the estate and an inventory is made of the deceased persons property. Usually this occurs when a person dies without a will or there is an immediate need to take care of the business of the estate prior to the probate of the will.
App to Administer the Estate = Same as above but usually not as involved.
ApptAppraisers;Inventory = The Probate Court appoints a person or company to appraise the property and provide a list to the court of their findings in the form of an Inventory.
CC or Cert Copy Will/Probate/Guard/Guardian Dallas Cty, TX = A certified copy of the probate proceedings that were made in another county in Texas or another state. The reason to obtain such a document is that the deceased also owned property in Tarrant County at the time of their death and/or a guardianship was set up. In these instances the column 'Additional Notes' may list the documents received, i.e., copy of the will or copy of the inventory.
Con = Contested probate
Final Acct = The executor's final accounting of the estate to the probate court, usually stating that the estate has been disposed of in accordance with the will and is complete.
Judgment/Judg/Law Suit = Cases that were filed in District Court but which pertain to an estate and are therefore included in the probate proceedings.
Lunacy/Lunatic Hearing or NCM Guardianship = In the Probate Court, a six-person jury delivers their verdict on the sanity of a person. A Guardian of the Person is appointed by the court to take care of the physical well-being of a ward and a Guardian of Estate is appointed to care for a ward’s property. Often both a guardian of the person and a guardian of estate are appointed and can be the same individual.
Order Fixing Inheritance Tax = A ruling on taxes that must be paid on inherited property.
Prob;will;proof;inventory = A will was filed for probate. A proof including witnesses to the will is provided to prove the will valid, and an inventory is available which may only contain real property and values.
Prob;will;codicil;proof;inventory = Same as above, but a codicil (addition) to the will is also available.
Prob;will;interrog;inventory = Same as above, but depositions of persons claiming to know the facts were taken to determine if the will was valid. Usually occurs when a will is disputed or a will was made and probated in another county or state.
Same as Above = Data is the same as listed for the preceding entry.
Var/Oth = Various or other documents are contained in the file. May include marriage licenses, property deeds or any other documents the probate may have asked the executor to produce for review in settling the estate.
War of Arrest = A warrant of arrest was issued.
Judgment/Judg/Law Suit = Cases that were filed in District Court but which pertain to an estate and are therefore included in the probate proceedings.
Lunacy/Lunatic Hearing or NCM Guardianship = In the Probate Court, a six-person jury delivers their verdict on the sanity of a person. A Guardian of the Person is appointed by the court to take care of the physical well-being of a ward and a Guardian of Estate is appointed to care for a ward’s property. Often both a guardian of the person and a guardian of estate are appointed and can be the same individual.
Order Fixing Inheritance Tax = A ruling on taxes that must be paid on inherited property.
Prob;will;proof;inventory = A will was filed for probate. A proof including witnesses to the will is provided to prove the will valid, and an inventory is available which may only contain real property and values.
Prob;will;codicil;proof;inventory = Same as above, but a codicil (addition) to the will is also available.
Prob;will;interrog;inventory = Same as above, but depositions of persons claiming to know the facts were taken to determine if the will was valid. Usually occurs when a will is disputed or a will was made and probated in another county or state.
Same as Above = Data is the same as listed for the preceding entry.
Var/Oth = Various or other documents are contained in the file. May include marriage licenses, property deeds or any other documents the probate may have asked the executor to produce for review in settling the estate.
War of Arrest = A warrant of arrest was issued.
The Tarrant County Archives thanks Volunteer Cecelia Gilbreath for her work on this database.