German estate/Inventories on family search

Carol Williams_20

Am looking for more information in the estate inventories available on familysearch courtesy of the Hessian Archives: Germany, Preußen, Hessen-Nassau, Wiesbaden, Inventuren, Testementen, Nachlassakten, Vormundschaften, 1650-1830. Film 107041576

Who are these records for, ie ordinary citizens or persons of rank or certain social/ economic status? Or are these just a few of the records that happen to survive.

I an looking at one for a carpenter who died in 1777. The inventory is 48 pages and lists two homes and three properties to be sold with house hold items and earnings to be distributed among the heirs.

Is this usual for this time period? I have been trying to read more about the history and economic environment for that time period but have found no helpful information so far.

Any insight or suggestions of where I might learn more about this, would be greatly appreciated.

Ulrich Neitzel

Hello Carol,

could you possibly post a link to the archive? I have difficulties finding it. Thank you.

carol williams_19

Ulrich,

Enter this into the familysearch.org seach box for place and it should come up:Germany, Preußen, Hessen-Nassau, Wiesbaden, Inventuren, Testementen, Nachlassakten, Vormundschaften, 1650-1830.

Or in the search box for film, enter this number.Film 107041576

Or try this link:

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-L3XR-N3ZV?cat=3660871

Ulrich Neitzel

@carol williams_19

Thank you for the link. I am not good at navigating the FS archives.

I don't really have any experience with estate inventories, but I would suspect that such were done only in certain cases, not for every death case. It may depend on the size of the estate, the liabilities of the deceased, on the number of heirs and their position.

This document contains a quite extensive list of real estate, home equipment and carpenter tools as well as a listing of debts that shall be divided among three children, two sons and a daughter. I would guess that this corresponds to a "higher middle-class" household.

carol williams_19

Thank you for your insight. That is one of the most interesting documents I have uncovered in my Genealogical pursuits.