Tracing a will

[ms.smith]

How should I go about tracking down a will? I know the person died in Milan in September 1886. I think he was a widower, would have been quite well off and had two children so I imagine he would have left a will.

[Tessa78]

After death declarations, or estate tax returns, in Italy still belong to the Ministry of Finance and are mostly placed in the current archives of the Registrar’s Offices, where, since the creation of the Kingdom of Italy (1861) people are required to record their declarations for tax purpose. Historical sources, when filed side by side with contemporary ones, are not available for investigation, but luckily, the Registrar’s Office of Milan has passed the documents relating to the period 1862-1900 to the local Record Office , where they are properly kept and easily accessible for scholars.

From this scholarly work... page 11
http://www.victoria.ac.nz/sacl/6ahic/Pu ... _paper.pdf

T.

[ms.smith]

Thank you for that information. It is very helpful. Now I need to look up how to write a letter in Italian as, though I am beginning to understand some of the written word I do not know how to write it.