Probate, Estates & Guardianship
Wills, administrations, inventories, and guardian bonds that name heirs and property.
Estates name heirs, relationships, property, and sometimes enslaved persons. Guardian and apprenticeship records identify minors. Many Tennessee estate papers survive in county offices; TSLA and FamilySearch film fill gaps for burned counties.
- Search both testate (wills) and intestate (administrations) paths.
- Read inventories and sales—buyers are often relatives and neighbors.
- Watch for multi-county estates when land straddled new boundaries.