Daily AncestorEscheat
Escheat is the passing of land to the state when the owner dies with no will and no heirs to inherit it.
When a person died without a will and no legal heirs could be found, their land escheated, meaning it reverted to the government. Each state has its own escheat law.
An escheat record suggests the person left no known family in the area, which is itself a useful clue.
As seen in a recordState land office record, 1800s
Inquest of escheat on the lands of Jas. McCoy, deceased without heirs.
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Daily Ancestor. "Escheat." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/legal-land/escheat. Last checked 2026-10-01.