Surrogates have been appointed in New York since its first constitution,
in 1775. In 1846 they were limited to counties with populations of over
40,000 (and their duties elsewhere taken over by county courts). Where
there were surrogates, under the 1846 Constitution, they were elected.
Surrogate Courts continue to this day -- handling wills, administration of
estates, appointment of guardians, and the like -- as their name
"surrogate" -- in the place of -- suggests; among other things, they are
where you go to look up wills, inventories, etc.
        I'm sure that legal references (or any New York Lawyer) can give you far
more detailed information, but since nobody else has responded, I thought
I'd give you a start. .

Hugh C. MacDougall
Secretary/Treasurer
James Fenimore Cooper Society
8 Lake Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326-1016
<[log in to unmask]>
<http://library.cmsu.edu/cooper/cooper.htm>

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> From: Linda Crannell <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: SURROGATE?
> Date: Friday, June 04, 1999 8:25 AM
>
> Can someone tell me the nature of the position referred to as SURROGATE?
It appears in the civil (office) lists in many of the county histories
written toward the end of the 1800s. Thanks, Linda