When searching for records of an estate settlement, keep in mind that it may be ten or twenty years before an estate is finally settled. This final settlement may appear in the probate records or the land records–or both. Thomas Sledd died in Bourbon County, Kentucky, in 1815. His land was finally partitioned among his heirs in 1831.
Sometimes it can be easy to see why the settlement takes a while. There may be title questions to deal with, lawsuits among heirs, lawsuits involving debt or other issues for the estate. The family may be waiting to get a better price for real estate. Or, which is what probably happened in the Sledd case, they may be waiting for all the heirs to reach the age of majority to that they can more easily be given title to property.
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