County Courthouse Book, 3rd Edition

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0806317973 ISBN 13: 9780806317977

Publisher: Genealogical Publishing Company, 2009

This is a complete overhaul of the 1990 classic, featuring updated coverage of 3,125 county jurisdictions and 1,577 New England towns and independent Virginia cities, details of the 18 Vermont probate districts, 9 Massachusetts districts, and 12 Connecticut judicial districts, plus informative state profiles and cross-references to name changes and extinct towns and counties. Based on her written survey of county courthouses and other jurisdictions, Mrs. Bentley here presents the names, addresses, phone numbers, and dates of organization of all county courthouses, and for those that responded (65 percent), a concise summary of record holdings, personnel, and services. Besides its obvious genealogical uses, the County Courthouse Book can also be used for land title searches, legal investigations, questions of property rights and inheritance, and indeed for personal searches and investigations of all kinds. But it is the genealogist who stands to benefit most from the book because it offers a concise guide to the county courthouses and courthouse records which are the main focus of his research. Just the book he's always needed!

From Library Journal:

Constructed from a survey sent to county courthouses across the United States, this reference lists the extent of county records in four major groups of interest to genealogists and others--land, vital, naturalization, and probate records. Organized alphabetically by state, each county courthouse entry is headed by a sketch of its judicial structure. An introduction gives needed background on the response to the survey and how the data was compiled, although this information would have been enhanced with a reproduction of the actual survey. Inclusion of a list of a state's counties and a map showing the placement of the counties would have been beneficial as well. A source bibliography gives additional reference material. Libraries with active genealogical division or genealogical associations may find this handy; others may skip.
- Susan M. Dunn, Woodbury Cty. Law Lib., Sioux City, Ia.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.