New Jersey, U.S., Published Archives Series, 1631-1782

This database contains material from 27 volumes of early New Jersey documents from the New Jersey Archives series.

Historical Background

In 1846, the New Jersey Historical Society urged the state legislature to gather copies of documents relating to the history of the state, both in the country and those in London that dealt with the colony’s early days. The Society got the support it was looking for in 1872 and began assembling and editing the materials that would be printed as the New Jersey Archives: Documents Relating to the Colonial History of the State of New Jersey. The Archives include copies of records from a wide variety of documents from the state’s early history, with some predating the earliest permanent European settlement of Bergen in 1660.

What You Can Find in These Records

This database contains 27 volumes from the New Jersey Archives series:

Calendar of Records in the Office of the Secretary of State (1664–1703; 1 volume)

These include records of land sales, deeds, arrest warrants, letters of administration, powers of attorney, inventories of estates, licenses, commissions, orders declaring cohabitation and unlawful marriage, indentures, and other documents.

Documents Relating to the Colonial History of the State (1631–1776; 10 volumes)

These include letters and correspondence, minutes, accounts, petitions, indentures, affidavits, memoranda, and other documents.

Journal of Governor and Council (1682–1775; 6 volumes)

The journal contains minutes from meetings and actions of New Jersey’s governor and provincial council.

Newspaper Extracts (1704–1782; 16 volumes)

These include mention of military matters, political and editorial comments and letters, announcements of property sales, runaway soldiers and slaves, reports on court proceedings, “names of Tories of New Jersey, whose property had been confiscated and was to be sold,” naval engagements, eulogies, “announcements of horse breeders,” “the loss of lottery tickets,” legislative appointments, and other items.

Many of the volumes have indexes at the back, which can help facilitate a search.