The Berks County Courthouse

I made a spur of the moment trip to the Berks County Court House today. I was originally thinking about going back to the Genealogical Society to look at estate inventories and wills. When I called however, the woman said I'd need to go to the court house for the actuall wills.

Not knowing what to expect I got in my car and drove to Reading once again. I am really getting good at navigating around in that city. (NOT!). Actually I found the Courthouse without too much trouble. When I got to the research room where they keep all of the old wills a very nice woman helped me locate the people's wills I needed. She dug out every Boone I asked for and William Bird. Mark Bird's will was absent. I need to look into this because I have no idea why that would be unless he died outside of Berks county.

This is where it got exciting. Inside of these files were the ORIGINAL wills and estate inventories. not photocopies. The real thing. I touched them all. I spent fourteen dollars on photocopies today, and I was only able to get through the Boones, not any other residents of the Oley Valley that I have been meaning to look into like Lesher or Jaeger.

I found all of the documents to be very helpful. The estate inventories will allow me to discuss the economic situation of the Boones in relation to other members of the Oley Valley. There were also lists of the people that the deceased were in debt to. These will help me discuss relations between ethnic groups in the Oley Valley.