Compiled by Margaret R. Jenks, Danielle L. Roberts, and Dawn D. Hance

In compiling these books, we have abstracted every item and entry, page by page, in Volumes 1-8, 9-12, 13-16, 17-19, and 20-22 of the Rutland County, Rutland District probate records, covering the time period from the establishment of the Probate Court in Rutland County to February 1849. All items of genealogical interest have been included: wills, inventories, administrator's accounts, receipts, petitions, guardianship, and other data pertaining to the probate of an estate. The records in these books were recorded by the court register.

It should be noted that many of the estates initiated in an earlier volume were continues in succeeding volumes. It often took many years to settle an estate. Part 5 concludes this series. Volume 23, that would have taken the series into 1850, was not filmed.

Dawn Hance, Rutland Historian, has checked the books at the court house in cases where the films are illegible, pages were not  filmed, and some of the packets. She has also listed the packets by number. Her extensive knowledge of the area has added much detail to these records. Her extractions of the Rutland Herald and other early Rutland area newspapers have added more data.

Probate records for the Fair Haven District are also being compiled. Unfortunately two fires have plagued the Fair Haven District. When the district was set off from Rutland, William Ward of Poultney was the first Probate Judge. About 1797 his home burned along with the first two volumes of probate records. A second fire on 2 January 1862 burned all of the Poultney vital records, deeds, and town records, along with Volume 7, December 1807 - February 1811; Volume 9, January - December 1813; and Volumes 12-18, July 1824 - April 1842, of the probate records.

It will be noted that many of the estates mentioned in these volumes are for residents of other Vermont Counties. Also, numerous estates were probated in Rutland County for residents of other states who held some property in Rutland County. Some records show property held in former homes.

Part 1, Volumes 1 - 8, 1781 - 1814
VI + 142 Pages, 4400 Names, Every Name Indexed
Now available from Sleeper Books at www.sleeperco.com
Covering the time period from the establishment of the Probate Court in Rutland County to early in the year 1814.

Part 2, Volumes 9 - 12, 1814 - 1827
VI + 150 Pages, 4489 Names, Every Name Indexed
Now available from Sleeper Books at www.sleeperco.com
Covering the time period from March 1814 to October 1827.

Part 3, Volumes 13 - 16, 1827 - 1838
VI + 148 Pages, 4100 Names, Every Name Indexed

Covering the time period from April 1827 to August 1838.

Part 4, Volumes 17 - 19, 1838 - 1844
VI + 129 Pages, 3200 Names, Every Name Indexed
Now available from Sleeper Books at www.sleeperco.com
Covering the time period from September 1838 to April 1844.

Part 5, Volumes 20 - 22, 1844 - 1849
VI + 131 Pages, 3450 Names, Every Name Indexed