History
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.
| Surrogate | Years Served |
|---|---|
| Nicki A. Burke | 2006-Present |
| Geneva B. Wood | 1986-2005 |
| John J. Crawford | 1981-1985 |
| Geneva B. Wood | 1980 appointment |
| Samuel McWilliams Jr. | 1966-1979 |
| Frank L. Pote Jr. | 1961-1966 |
| T.B. Reed Pancoast | 1922-1961 |
| Loren P. Plummer | 1897-1922 |
| Henry Coombs | 1897 appointment |
| George R. Morrison | 1877-1897 |
| Samuel Allen | 1872-1877 |
| Samuel P. Carpenter | 1867-1872 |
| Richard Grier | 1863-1867 |
| William Plummer | 1857-1863 |
| Henry Sinnickson | 1857 Appt. |
| Benjamin Smith | 1854-1857 |
| Smith Dorman | 1853 appointment |
| Isaac Hackett | 1843-1848 |
| Joseph E. Brown | 1838-1843 |
| David Hurley | 1833-1838 |
| Morris Hancock | 1823-1833 |
| Daniel Garrison | 1809-1823 |
| Jacob Hufty | 1808 appointment |
| Curtis Seagraves | 1804-1808 |
| Samuel Dick | 1785-1796 |
| John Hinchman | 1723-1785 |