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 John Perring – 1675

HENRY PERRING, Brookhaven, “Being weak in body,” directs his body “to be decently buried in the Buryal Place of Brookhaven.” Leaves to wife Hannah all lands and goods in Brookhaven, or elsewhere, during her life or widowhood. Leaves to son-in-law Joseph Longbothem, 40 acres of land as followeth, namely, 9 acres in the old field of said town, whereof 3 acres joins eastward on Andrew Miller’s lot, and west on Goodman Riggs, 6 acres at the rock, formerly belonging to James Cook. Also 9 acres of my Home lot, 5 acres at Newtown, joining west on Goodman Fancy’s lot, and … Read more