The records in Record Group 4 fall into two main categories -- those relating to jurors, and those relating to the operations of the Surrogates Court in Westchester County. The jury-related records primarily cover the late-19th and early-20th century, while the extensive Surrogates Court records provide researchers, including family historians, with access to estate papers and wills from the late-18th century through the mid-20th century.
Administration Letters, 1787-1940
Series 168
22 v. Arranged chronologically. Indexed by: Series 171.
Records of estates which are intestate, are being contested, or those containing dependent family members. These letters document the transfer of legal responsibility for paying taxes, care and custody of dependent family members, liquidation of debts, and transfer of property to the heirs as effected by an administrator appointed by the Surrogate Court. Letters of Administration grant authority to administer the entire estate of the deceased without restriction; Letters of Administration de bonis non (1852-1935 only) appoint an administrator to complete the settlement of an estate partially settled by another administrator; Letters of Temporary Administration (1853-1940 only) order an administrator to produce an inventory of the deceased's estate within three months; and Letters of Administration with Will Annexed appoint a new administrator to act on behalf of executors who refuse to do so.
Related records: Series 16, Estate Records, 1775, 1782-1909; Series 132, Wills, 1779, 1784, 1787-1941; Series 167, Guardianship Records, 1802-1931; Series 201, Testamentary Letters, 1830-1897.
Estate Records, 1775, 1782-1921
Series 16
992 cubic ft. Arranged chrono-alphabetically. Indexed by: Series 171.
Original estate inventories which detail property of the deceased and its value. May include executor's bonds, wills and other estate settlement documentation, including letters of guardianship. An index for some records is available online.
Related records: Series 132, Wills, 1779, 1784, 1787-1941.
Guardianship Records, 1802-1931
Series 167
10 v. Arranged chronological. Indexed by: Series 171.
Includes Letters of Guardianship by which guardians are appointed by the court to oversee minor heirs and their estates; Letters of Testamentary Guardianship in which the guardian is appointed by the last will of the minor's parents; and Ancillary Letters of Guardianship which record out of state guardianship transfers. Each type of letter includes the name of the appointed guardian, the name and age of the minor(s), and a brief legal description of the requirements of the guardianship. Note: additional guardianship records may be located in Series16, Estate Records.
Related records: Series 16, Estate Records, 1775, 1782-1909; Series 132, Wills, 1779, 1784, 1787-1941; Series 168, Administration Letters, 1787-1940; Series 201, Testamentary Letters, 1830-1897.
Jurors Exemption Affidavits, 1892-1897, 1909-1925
Series 124
3 v. Arranged alphabetically and geographically by town.
Affidavits issued by the Commissioner of Jurors to certify exemption from jury duty. Each entry includes the name, address, date and reason for exemption.
Related records: Series 123, Jurors Exemption Lists, 1892-c.1925; Series 125, Jurors Exemptions, Firemen and Fire Companies, 1895-1901.
Jurors Exemptions, Firemen and Fire Companies, 1895-1901
Series 125
2 v. Arranged alphabetically.
List of firemen exempted from jury duty. Each entry includes the name, fire department, date of filing and remarks. Includes the names and locations of the County's fire companies.
Related records: Series 123, Jurors Exemption Lists, 1892-c.1925; Series 124, Jurors Exemption Affidavits, 1892-1897, 1909-1925.
Jurors Exemption Lists, 1892-c.1925
Series 123
6 v. Arranged alphabetically.
Entries include the name, and some addresses and occupations, of persons exempted from jury duty with the reason for exemption.
Related records: Series 124, Jurors Exemption Affidavits, 1892-1897, 1909-1925; Series 125, Jurors Exemptions, Firemen and Fire Companies, 1895-1901.
Jurors Record Books, 1892-1893, 1897-1955
Series 122
12 v. Arranged chronologically.
Names of potential jurors with their street addresses and occupation. If applicable, the records include dates of their service, type of jury on which they served, or reason for exemption from service.
Related records: Series 123, Jurors Exemption Lists, 1892-c.1925; Series 124, Jurors Exemption Affidavits, 1892-1897, 1909-1925.
Miscellaneous Surrogate Court Letterbooks, 1852-1913
Series 202
3 v. Arranged chronologically.
Letters appointing executors when none was named in will or replacing named executor who had died since will was signed.
Surrogate Records Index, 1787-1983
Series 171
80 reels Arranged alphabetically. Index to Series 16, Series 132, Series 167, Series 168, Series 201.
Testamentary Letters, 1830-1897
Series 201
19 v. Arranged chronologically. Indexed by: Series 171.
Formal instruments of authority and appointment given to executors of estates for which a will exists. Letters include the name of the deceased, town in which he/she lived, and name of the executor.
Related records: Series 16, Estate Records, 1775, 1782-1909; Series 132, Wills, 1779, 1784, 1787-1941; Series 167, Guardianship Records, 1802-1931; Series 168, Administration Letters, 1787-1940.
Wills, 1775-1784 (gaps), 1787-1941
Series 132
244.5 cubic ft., 100 v. Arranged chronologically. Indexed by: Series 171.
Wills recorded by the Surrogate's Court. An index to these records is available online.
Related records: Series 16, Estate Records, 1775, 1782-1914.