Our Probate Courts have proudly compiled information on topics into a user-friendly format for Ad Litem Attorneys, Guardians, and Clients to use.
This handbook walks a prospective guardian through the required filings, rights given, and duties owed.
This handbook walks clients and ad litem attorneys through the administration options and the fiduciary duties owed.
Our judges are dedicated to ensuring a fair and efficient resolution of probate matters, providing compassionate guidance through your legal process.
Thank you for taking the time to familiarize yourself with the information in these handbooks. The purpose of these handbooks is to serve as a reference guide, highlighting specific issues and requirements necessary to perform in the role of guardian and to administer an estate. We hope the information provided enhances your understanding of this process. Should you be appointed as a Guardian, an Executor, or an Administrator of an estate, these handbooks will assist you in serving in such capacity in a thoughtful and competent manner. If you have additional questions or concerns, your attorney and our staff are available to provide assistance.
Throughout these handbooks, photographs of Houston’s most iconic and historic places are included to demonstrate the importance of “preserving the legacy of our forebears.” The photography was provided by Abigail Butts and historical facts and details about the properties located in Sam Houston Park were obtained by The Heritage Society at Sam HoustonPark. We would like to express our gratitude to The Heritage Society for providing this information as well as for their continued work in preserving the memories and relics ofHouston’s most important chapters in history.
The buildings pictured on pages hand provide a glimpse into the life of early settlers in the greater Houston area. Both Americans and immigrants, all having diverse backgrounds, settled Houston and provided the original stock for the melting pot of cultures it is today.
The Kellum-Noble House, was built in 1847 by Nathaniel Kellum. It is the oldest residential structure still standing that was constructed in Houston. Remarkably, the structure retains its original brick walls made from clay obtained from Buffalo Bayou. The home features a wrap-around porch and is reminiscent of the Greek Revival style commonly found in Louisiana. The Noble family later acquired the home and in 1851, it was redesigned by Zerviah
Noble and her daughter, Catherine, to become one of the first schools in Houston.
Several historic properties serve as reminders of the large immigrant population that came to Texas in the 19th century.The San Felipe Cottage, pictured on page five and built in1868, illustrates the type of architecture used by German immigrants. Though the house was occupied chiefly by German families, there were also those from England, Ireland, and Switzerland who lived there over the years. Another striking example of the influence of German and Swiss immigrants in 19th century Houston is St. John Church. Built in 1891, the church’s architecture exhibits a local take on the Gothic Revival style that was popular at that time. It was built to accommodate the Evangelical Lutheran congregation of immi-grant farmers who lived northwest of Houston.
In addition to the various immigrant populations settling in Houston, settlers and former slaves came from other parts of the United States to find new homes after the Civil War. The Yates House, built in 1870 and pictured on page five, was constructed by an emancipated slave, Reverend John HenryYates. The home was originally erected in Freedmen’s Town, a Houston community built by former slaves. The timing of this home’s construction is significant because it occurred only five years following the passage of the 13th Amendment, demonstrating the resilience and determination of this community to integrate into society as a free people.
The Fourth Ward Cottage, evinces an-other example of Houston’s changing landscape after the Civil War. The cottage was originally built by German immigrants in what later became Freedmen’s Town.
