Abstracts of Wills on File in the City of New York Surrogate’s Office 1660-1680

Sample Last Will and Testament

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.

Will of David Carwithy – 1666

DAVID CARWITHY, Southold. “Mr. Carwithy being visited with sickness, desires to set things in order, Being weake in body, but in perfect memory. Leaves to son Caleb “my best suit of clothes and a bed blanket.” To daughter Martha a scythe and a Bible. To daughter Elizabeth Crowner £9 sterling. “As for my son David I left him his portion when I came from him,” but adds 20 shillings. Makes daughter Sarah Curtis sole executrix. Dated August 30, 1665. Witnesses, John Conckliug, Sr., Simon Grover, Jacob Conckling. Proved Nov. ——, 1665. Sarah Curtis, “of Hashamomack, neare Southold,” is confirmed as … Read more