Looking for Ireland will dates - finding a hidden gem!

 

Today I am so grateful for the school system that taught me how to quickly scan down a long list of names.

I was on the Family Search website in the Ireland Probate section, checking all that would have surnames with the letter S

I was mostly looking for my earlier ancestors that were in Ireland. When I clicked on Index to Administration Grants O-Z 1595-1810 and scrolled through I found an unexpected gem!

I know I could have clicked on the Search symbol and searched for all with the name Seale, and I did do that first, but I never would have found this record as the name was transcribed with a C as Scale. Besides you never know if you'll come across a name you recognize.

I navigated to the S names (that are not in alphabetic order by the way, only order of date) going past the earlier years to before the first known year I have ancestors there, about 1680, looking for the Seale name in Queen's County. Scanning past lots of Searle and Sale... the first entry I came across was Image 187, will for Thomas Seale, carpenter, died in Trim, Meath in 1690. That is a new name and place to me, so it goes on my list of things to check into. 

I continued scrolling through the S names, page after page.. oh there's another one. Hey! What?? It is for a Marriage License issued to Richard Seale and Margaret Higgs !! This jibes with the Pedigree of Seales that Richard was married to a Margaret, and didn't have her surname or a date. Now I do!

For 1712, SEALE Richard and Higgs Margaret - ML #15

The Index to Administration Grants have a lot of Marriage License entries, I found a couple of other Seale marriage license entries. The other record sets seem to be all Wills or Intestate. 

Now I know why I have distant dna matches to people with the surname Higgs!

Relevant Links

Indexes to probate records 1536-1858, and surviving will books 1644-1834