Oregon Historical County Records Guide
Lincoln County Records Inventory
Probate Case Files
1893-[ongoing]
Series documents actions taken on probate cases brought before the county, district, or circuit court for settlement. Records include wills, receipts, claims, vouchers, petitions to sell, notices of annual accounting, final estate accounting reports, appraiser's affidavits, bills of sale, inventories, fee bills, appraisals, administrator and appointment certificates, and appraiser oaths. Over the years probate jurisdiction has been transferred from the county court to the circuit court in most counties. However, the county courts in Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Malheur, Sherman, and Wheeler Counties continue to hear probate cases. Portions of these records may be restricted.
Beginning in 1983, Probate Case Files have been filed with the Circuit Court Case Files and have been indexed by the Oregon Judicial Information System (OJIS), 1983-1987, and Oregon Judicial Information Network (OJIN), 1987-present.
Records at the Lincoln County Courthouse, Trial Court
Office:
Index to Probate Cases, 1893-1983 (1 volume);
Index Probate Journal [also indexes case files], n.d. (1 volume);
[Probate Case Files-interfiled with circuit court case files], 2007-present
(ca.420 cu.ft.);
Small Estates Index, 1974-1982 (1 volume).
Records at the Lincoln County Law Library, Trial Court Warehouse:
Microfilm Old Circuit Court Records [Book of Probate Records-Case Files], reel 1-7, 1968-1982 (7 reels
of microfilm);
Microfilm Security Rolls [Security Book of Probate-Case
Files], reel 1-7, 1968-1982 (7 reels of microfilm);
[Probate Case Files-interfiled with circuit court case files], 1983-2006 (ca.2000
cu.ft.).
Records at the Lincoln County Public Service Building, Probate Records Storage Cage:
Probate [Case Files-title varies], no. 1-5943, 1893-1982 (158
cu.ft.);
SE [Small Estate Case Files], no. 1-106, 1974-1982 (.75 cu.ft.).
Records at the Lincoln County Community Corrections Building, County Archives:
[Book of Probate Records-Case Files], reel 1-3,
1968-n.d (3 reels of microfilm);
Circuit Court Records [includes probate and juvenile records], n.d.-ca.1975 (16 reels of microfilm).