Register of Wills in Pennsylvania explained

The Register of  Wills is an officer of the court and has an office of the same name where all probate in PA is recorded. Each county has a Register of  Wills. If you go to the Family History Center, [or use the FamilySearch online] you can check the catalog and order the indexes to the probate files. Then after you find your person in the index, you can either write to the county and request the file or you can order the film, if available, from the FHC. I would recommend ordering the film since you can get that for $3.50 four weeks and then copy the file yourself. [A film can be extended for another six weeks at $3.50. They also allow a second extension for $3.50 for six weeks (costs subject to change).] If you can go to the county office, all the better, since you will be handed the whole file and can go through it yourself to make sure nothing is missed when it's copied.

A word about "probates" and "wills":
In Pennsylvania, everything having to do with estates is handled in the Register of Wills' office. In some states, probate is separate from wills and guardians, etc. PA makes it much easier as long as you remember to always ask for "The Probate FILE" and not "the Will". Many people didn't leave wills but have extensive files concerning their estate and children. In this case, if you ask for the WILL, the clerk will simply write back "none found." You can find the addresses for each county at Pennsylvania Vital Records. 

If you're new to genealogy, try RootsWeb's Guide to Tracing Family Trees. An excellent book is "Shaking Your Family Tree" by Dr. Ralph Crandall. It's in paperback and you can get it at most big chain bookstores. And don't hesitate to ask if we mention things you don't know about...yet. 

Clare Peden Midgley, Listress for PAALLEGH, email discussion list for Allegheny County, PA.