“Whereas JOHN DAVERELL of this city dyed in ye Province of Maryland intestate.” Mrs. Sarah Hawkins of this city, widow, “the naturall mother of him the said John Daverell,” is appointed administratrix. Given under our hand and seal at Fort James, May 12, 1673. Francis Lovelace. LIBER 1-2, page 66
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.