Every probate revolves around a decedent. Identification — full name (including all variations and maiden names), date of death, place of death, residence at death, marital history, and descendants — is the first step in any curative file.
Date of death matters more than people realize. It pins which version of the intestacy statute applies (statutes change), which spousal-share rules are in play, and what the calendar looked like for the four-year probate window. Death certificate is the primary evidence.
Name variations are a common research blocker. "John Smith Jr." in the 1962 will is the same person as "J.W. Smith" on the 1955 mineral deed and "Johnny Smith" on the 1989 obituary, but only if you can prove it. AOHs typically recite the variations explicitly.