Having now collected a massive amount of info (including an e-mail from Robert), it appears that these are NOT new discharges in the scheme of things -- that they've been popping up for at least a year.

 They DO discharge the mortgage.  What MERS (and in one case, Countrywide -- which seems to always be nominee for MERS) is doing is saying the mortgage is discharged, but we have a lien against the PERSON.  But there is nothing recorded that I've found.  The consensus from the examiners is that in order to try to collect, they'd have to file a lawsuit in civil court -- and I've yet to see anything recorded in that regard.  Don't see how they can since chances are, folks are broke. 

These definitely are NOT "partial discharges."  They do indeed discharge the entire mortgage....it just doesn't leave the people off the hook financially.