PABUCKS-L Archives

Archiver > PABUCKS > 1998-03 > 0889750526


From: Bill & Joy Heape <>
Subject: Re: [PABUCKS-L] courthouse/wills
Date: Thu, 12 Mar 1998 16:55:26 -0800


Hi Robin,

I don't know about Bucks, but not all PA counties are that bad!!! I
just sent away for a will from Montgomery Co., all I had was the name
and year of death. They charged me $4 for 6 pages, 50 cents per page
plus $1 mailing fee (which I thought was pretty reasonable).

This sounds like some kind of mistake (or else highway robbery!) Hope
someone can dispel this mystery for you.

Joy
PS Berks co., PA is $1 page for wills, copied and mailed.

wrote:
>
> Hi all,
> I hope someone can tell me what the deal is here.
> I sent a polite letter to the Bucks co courthouse, register of wills,
> asking for wills and related data for three persons. I included in the
> letter the year, full name and the will reference numbers. I asked to
> please let me know the cost and enclosed a SASE.
> I just got a response today. Each will and related papers (inventory,
> statement, bond, etc.) ran about 4 pages. Each had a $20.00(!) fee
> tacked on, I assume a search fee (my reference numbers were correct).
> This means about $75.00 to get copies of these 3 wills! My (recent)
> handybook quotes a $10.00 search fee for Bucks co. I honestly thought a
> search would mean really having to look for it, like if I gave them a
> range of years or something. I was pretty specific.
> This is my first experience in PA getting wills. Can I expect this from
> all counties? I must say, my experience getting wills in VA did not lead
> me to expect this!
> My questions are:
> Do I now owe them money?
> Can I get the wills myself if I, or someone else, visits the
> courthouse, without the $20.00 per will fee and just paying for copying?
> Did I stumble on a new way for Bucks co to make some extra money off of
> poverty-stricked genealogist? I'd rather spend $75.00 for 2 or 3 new
> books!
> Please answer soon, as I'm wonderting if I'm obligated for the money.
> (I don't think I should be, as I only asked about cost.) If not, I'd
> gladly pay someone an extra $10.00(for all three wills) plus postage and
> copying fees to run to the courthouse for me. It would save me about
> $50.00!
> I sent a similar request to Northampton co. and haven't heard back yet.
> Will I have the same problem there?
>
> Thanks,
> Robin
>
> ==== PABUCKS Mailing List ====
> Contact List Manager at or
> Visit the Bucks Co. PAGenWeb page at http://www.rootsweb.com/~pabucks
> or Genealogy of Pa http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/650

This thread: