HISTORY OF THE SURROGATE’S COURT
The word “Surrogate” means “one who takes the place of another”. The position has been a part of governing bodies dating all the way back to the days of the Bible and Roman Emperors. In our present day, the Surrogate is actually taking the place of the Governor.
In 1710, the Archbishop of London granted the Governor of the Royal Colony of New Jersey the authority to act as the Archbishop’s “Ordinary”, or Surrogate General. The Royal Governor subsequently delegated this authority to the Surrogate’s of the respective counties. This gave the Surrogates the ability to probate wills, issue marriage licenses, and perform those functions, which were at the time in the province of the church.
Since then, the New Jersey State Legislature has codified the powers and duties of the Surrogates. Each county has a Surrogate and they act as the judge of the Surrogate’s Court. They are elected to 5-year terms, as mandated by the New Jersey state constitution, by the people of the county in which they have jurisdiction. Aside from the appointment of a guardian for a minor who comes into an estate (often a settlement arising from an accident), or the supervision of an adoption, or a sanity hearing, it is increasingly common, after death, to visit the Surrogate’s Court for the appointment of someone to handle the estate of the deceased. It is because of the duties and responsibilities of the Surrogate, that the court they administer is almost certain to touch the lives of every person in the county at some time.
Salem County's Surrogates
Surrogate
| Years Served
|
Issac Sharp
| 1710-1720 |
John Rolfe
| 1720-1723 |
John Hinchman
| 1723-1785 |
Samuel Dick
| 1785-1796 |
Curtis Seagraves
| 1804-1808 |
Jacob Hufty
| 1808-1809 Appt.
|
Daniel Garrison
| 1809-1823 |
Morris Hancock
| 1823-1833 |
David Hurley
| 1833-1838 |
Joseph E. Brown
| 1838-1843 |
Isaac Hackett
| 1843-1848 |
Smith Dorman
| 1853 Appt.
|
Benjamin Smith
| 1854-1857 |
Henry Sinnickson
| 1857 Appt.
|
William Plummer
| 1857-1863 |
Richard Grier
| 1863-1867 |
Samuel P. Carpenter
| 1867-1872 |
Samuel Allen
| 1872-1877 |
George R. Morrison
| 1877-1897 |
Henry Coombs
| 1897 Appt.
|
Loren P. Plummer
| 1897-1922 |
T.B. Reed Pancoast
| 1922-1961 |
Frank L. Pote Jr.
| 1961-1966 |
Samuel McWilliams Jr.
| 1966-1979 |
Geneva B. Wood
| 1980 Appt. 1986-2005
|
John J. Crawford
| 1981-1985 |
Nicki A. Burke
| 2005-Present |
