Whereas JAN EVERTS BOUT, late of Brooklyn, in the West Riding of Yorkshire, did in his will appoint Adrian Heggeman of Flatbush, alias Midwout, his executor; and there being no Court of Sessions until the month of December, he is confirmed as executor, September 27, 1671. Francis Lovelace. LIBER 1-2, page 67
Abstracts of wills on file in the surrogate’s office city of New York 1660-1680. From May 1787 to the present, county surrogate’s courts have recorded probates. However, the court of probates and court of chancery handled estates of deceased persons who died in one county but who owned property in another. An 1823 law mandated that all probates come under the jurisdiction of the county surrogate’s courts. Each surrogate’s court has a comprehensive index to all probate records, including the unrecorded probate packets. Interestingly enough, there are wills existing and on record at the Surrogate’s Office in New York City for the time-span of 1660-1680. Genealogical extracts of these wills have been provided below.