New Jersey Census Records - Federal Population Schedules that exist for New Jersey are 1790, 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. The 1800 Census has Cumberland County only. Among the few surviving schedules of the 1890 federal census are some for Jersey City, Hudson County.
See Also Researching in Census Records - What is the name, age, sex, color, occupation, and birthplace of each person residing in this house? Which of these individuals attended school or was married within the year? Who among them is deaf and dumb, blind, insane, “idiotic,” a pauper, or a convict? Is there anyone in the household over twenty years of age who cannot read and write? What is the name of the slave owner? How many slaves belong to the owner? What is the tribe of this Indian? What were the places of birth of the person’s parents? In what year did this person immigrate to the United States and, if naturalized, what was the year of naturalization? For answers to these and other questions, researchers look to census records......
There are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Slave Schedules exist for 1850 & 1860. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Union Veterans Schedules were conducted in 1890. The originals and films of the corresponding mortality, agricultural, industry/manufacturing, and other federal census schedules are available at the New Jersey State Library and on film at the state archives.
State Schedules: State censuses were also taken in New Jersey every ten years from 1855 through 1915 and are available at the New Jersey State Archives, the New Jersey State Library, Rutgers, the New Jersey Historical Society (1855-85), and the Newark Public Library. Unfortunately, they are not complete for 1855, 1865, and 1875, and none are indexed. The information in these censuses is similar to that found in federal censuses, except that most of the 1855 and 1865 censuses list only the head of the household. In the county clerk's vault in Newark are the original state censuses for Essex County, 1855-75.
Censuses taken of Paterson residents from 1824 to 1832 by the Reverend Samuel Fisher were published by AIS. Two earlier “censuses” have been published for New Jersey: Kenn Stryker-Rodda, Revolutionary Census of New Jersey (1972; reprint, Lambertville, N.J.: Hunterdon House, 1986) was constructed from tax records, and James S. Norton, New Jersey in 1793 (Salt Lake City: the author, 1973) was taken from militia rosters, with tax records substituting for those counties with missing militia lists.
New Jersey Census, 1772-1890: This collection contains the following indexes: 1772-1822 Tax Lists Index; 1800 Cumberland County Federal Census Index; 1824-1832 Bergen County - Paterson City; 1830 Federal Census Index; 1840 Federal Census Index; 1840 Pensioners List; 1850 Federal Census Index; 1850 Slave Schedule; 1860 Federal Census Index; 1870 Federal Census Index; 1890 Veterans Schedule; Early Census Index.
Excerpts From the Book "Family History Made Easy"
There are numerous ways to determine the location in which to concentrate research for an ancestor. One of the most popular and productive is the census.
Alice Eichholz, Ph.D.,
In Ancestry’s Red Book: American State,County and Town Sources
Since 1790, the U.S. government has taken a nationwide population count every ten years. Unique in scope and often surprisingly detailed, the census population schedules created from 1790 to 1920 are among the most used of records created by the federal government. Over the course of two centuries the United States has changed significantly, and so has the census. From the six basic questions asked in the 1790 census, the scope and categories of information have changed and expanded dramatically.
Early censuses were essentially basic counts of inhabitants; but as the nation grew, so did the need for statistics that would reflect the characteristics of the people. In 1850, the focus of the census was radically broadened. Going far beyond the vague questions previously asked of heads of households, the 1850 census enumerators were instructed to ask the age, sex, color, occupation, birthplace, and other questions regarding every individual in every household. Succeeding enumerations solicited more information; by 1920, census enumerators asked twenty-nine questions of every head of household and almost as many questions of everyone else in the residence. (Only a very small segment of the 1890 census remains; a fire in the Commerce Department destroyed the vast majority of the original records for that year. Because of privacy considerations, census records less than seventy-two years old are not available to the general public; thus, the 1920 census is the most recent available to the public.)
Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do the U.S. federal censuses. The population schedules are successive “snapshots” of Americans that depict where and how they were living at particular periods in the past. Once home sources and library sources have been exhausted, the census is often the best starting point for further genealogical research. Statewide indexes are available for almost every census; they are logical tools for locating individuals whose precise place of residence is unknown. While some inaccuracies are to be expected in census records, they still provide some of the most fascinating and useful pieces of personal history to be found in any source. If nothing else, census records are important sources for placing individuals in specific places at specific times. Additionally, information found in the census will often point to other sources critical to complete research, such as court, land, military, immigration, naturalization, and vital records.
The importance of census records does not diminish over time in any research project. It is always wise to return to these records as discoveries are made in other sources because, as you discover new evidence about individuals, some information that seemed unrelated or unimportant in a first look at the census may take on new importance.
When you can’t find family, vital, or religious records, census records may be the only means of documenting the events of a person’s life. Vital registration—the official recording of births, deaths, and marriages—did not begin until around 1920 in many areas of the United States, and fires, floods and other disasters since have destroyed some official government records. When other documentation is missing, census records are frequently used by individuals who must prove their age or citizenship status (or that of their parents) for Social Security benefits, insurance, passports, and other important reasons.
How to Find Census Records
All available federal census schedules (those made from 1790 to 1920) have been microfilmed and are available at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.; at the National Archives’ regional archives; at the Family History Library of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS church) in Salt Lake City and LDS family history centers throughout North America, “The Family History Library and Its Centers”); at many large libraries; in genealogical society libraries; and through companies that lend microfilmed records. Some state and local agencies have census schedules for the state or area they serve. Generally, microfilm copies may be borrowed through interlibrary loan.
Starting With the Census
It is usually best to begin a census search in the most recently available census records (1920) and to work from what is already known about a family. With any luck, birthplaces and other clues found in these more recent records will point to locations of earlier residence.
New Jersey Court Records - New Jersey county clerks are responsible for land records, including deeds and mortgages, naturalizations, marriages (usually 1795-1840s), and various county court records. A few original county justice of the peace dockets are at the New Jersey State Archives. Estate matters are handled in the surrogate's and orphans' courts.
The state archives has minute books, indexes, and some case files for records of the prerogative court, 1830s-1900 (some scattered earlier); chancery court, 1780-1850 (some scattered back to 1743); and supreme court, 1681-1844 (indexes to 1947); court of errors and appeals dockets, 1869-1949 (some files prior to 1869); and records of the court of common pleas for some counties for the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Later records are with the Superior Court of New Jersey, R.J. Hughes Justice Complex, CN-971, Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0971. Some state court records for the 1800s were destroyed in a fire in 1980.
See Also Research In State Court Probate - Even today, few people escape mention in court records at some time during their lives as witnesses, litigants, jurors, appointees to office, or as petition signatories. However, Americans of a few generations ago also expected to attend local court proceedings when they were in session. It was a civic duty-and they could be fined if they did not attend......
Records of federal courts in New Jersey are at the National Archives-Northeast Region, and some of these are on microfilm. These include the U.S. district court for 1789-1960 and U.S. Circuit Court for 1790-1911.
Immigration: Most nineteenth- and twentieth-century immigration by ship was through the ports of New York and Philadelphia. There were some ship arrivals, however, directly in New Jersey, and federal passenger lists of these are available at the National Archives for Perth Amboy, 1801-37 (with gaps); Bridgetown and Cape May, 1828; Little Egg Harbor, 1831; and Newark, 1836. These are indexed in "A Supplemental Index to Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at Atlantic and Gulf Coast Ports," copies of which are at the National Archives/Mid-Atlantic Region and elsewhere.
Naturalization: A search for nineteenth- and twentieth-century naturalization records should usually begin with the county clerk. A guide to these records for 1702-1886 was prepared by the WPA (Newark: New Jersey Historical Records Program, 1941). U.S. district court naturalization records for Camden, Camp Fort Dix, Newark, and Trenton, for various periods 1838 to 1981, arranged alphabetically or indexed are at the National Archives/Northeast Region.
For the 1700s and 1800s, naturalization records are at the New Jersey State Archives, where there are also microfilms of many of the county records covering to 1906. It is important to keep in mind that many New Jersey residents may have become naturalized or at least filed a declaration of intention in New York City or Philadelphia if they stayed long enough in those port cities before settling in the Garden State.
History of the County Clerk's Office
The County Clerk in the State of New Jersey is one of three County wide elected Constitutional Officers along with the Sheriff and Surrogate. The term of a County Clerk is five years. The County Clerk is responsible for the administration of a broad range of services including the filing and recording of all documents affecting real estate ownership/transfer, the processing of U.S. Passport applications, assisting individuals who wish to become a Notary Public, the issuance of Identification Cards, the filing of Business Trade Names, and the supervision of elections.
A review of the history of recording real estate documents offers a unique perspective on the evolution of the County Clerk. Historically to undertake the transfer of ownership of real estate, the only persons who could read and write were the clergy who were held in great regard by the kings and their courts. The clergy appointed other learned people who could read and write but were not necessarily "religious", and under "vows of the church". They were called "clericus". So important were "clericus" or "clerks" thought to be, that they enjoyed the protection of the church and doctrine of "benefit of clergy" which prohibited the courts from gaining jurisdiction over these persons and gave them a total privilege of exemption from punishments for crimes. This was not abolished in England until 1827 but was so abhorred by the colonists that one of the first acts of the United States Congress on April 30, 1790 was to abolish the benefit of clergy where it existed. (Blackstone, supra., sec. 60)
For 500 years, through the 16th century, the transfer of property occurred by documents written and held by the "clerks." And because these "clerks" could read and write, they became "clerks to the courts" of the various lords in England maintaining records of the Court proceedings. With the colonialization of the United States, that procedure was adopted within the legal jurisdictions of the various lords and the attendant "clerks."
Because of the distance between the "motherland" and the "colonies," inhabitants formed various agreements for the recording and transfer of property. The first was in 1676 entitled "The Consessions and Agreements of the Proprietors, Freeholders and Inhabitants of the Providence of West New Jersey" which made provisions for the recording of deeds and other conveyances of land. Conveyances which were recorded were of full force and effect, those which were not recorded within six months were of no force and effect. The statute was so ignored that an Act was passed in 1695 imposing a penalty of "twenty shillings on every person who refused or neglected to bring his deed or conveyance to the proper recording clerk within six months." A similar agreement was adopted into under the "Fundamental Constitutions of East New Jersey," dated 1683, which required the recordation in a public "registry" of all deeds, otherwise they were "void at law."
Both the East and West Jersey proprietors ceded and surrendered their respective rights back to the British crown in 1702 raising concern that no method existed for the transfer of property. Various colonial governments attempted to adopt legislation, but none ever received the final approval of the king.
After the Revolutionary War, the State of New Jersey returned to the basic concept that recording was necessary to protect purchasers of property. Under the "Conveyancing Act of 1799," which is the precursor of the existing New Jersey statutes for recording" every conveyance of property must be "recorded" in a "register" or it shall be "void and of no effect . . .".
These laws required and directed that these recordations and registrations be done by the various "clerks of the inferior courts of common pleas and quarter sessions" who were ". . . appointed by the council and assembly . . and commissioned by the governor . . (New Jersey Constitution of 1776, Article XII).
The maintenance of those records was perceived as a supplemental "judicial" function under the Constitution since the clerk of the county served first as clerk to the court and then as clerk to the citizens. A fundamental problem with the Constitution of 1776 was that the three branches of government, executive (governor), legislative (council), and judicial, were not three equal branches in power and standing. Ultimately under that Constitution all decisions of the judiciary, and all actions of employees of the judiciary (clerks) were subject to review by the Governor and Council. Thus, court orders could be overturned, ignored, or enforcement of the orders refused by "politicians". Through long legal wrangling this situation was resolved in the New Jersey Constitution of 1844. There, all three branches, executive, legislative and judicial, were made equal, the right of final appeal from the New Jersey '"Supreme Court" went to the U. S. Supreme Court and not to the Governor and Privy Council. But most importantly, the clerks were removed from the control of the executive and judiciary, had their powers conferred upon them by the voters of the State of New Jersey, were made constitutional officers, and served for fixed terms. The Constitution of 1844 provided, in paragraph 5, that
Clerks and surrogates of counties shall be elected by the people of their respective counties, at the annual elections for members of the general assembly. They shall hold their offices for five years.
As of 1844, clerks were recognized not as an employee or officer of the courts, but as distinct constitutional officers. An examination of the statutes does not show any statutory change in their role, functions, duties and responsibilities. Their role and functions were conferred by paragraph 11 of the Constitution of 1844 which provided that:
Clerks of counties shall be clerks of the inferior courts of common pleas and quarter sessions of the several counties, and perform the duties, and be subject to the regulations now required of them by law, unless otherwise ordained by the legislature.
The clerks carried forward all the powers that they had previously as "clerks" for the filing and recording of documents. But the powers of recording, etc. were recognized as constitutional conferment (by the people) and not mere law (by the legislation).
By 1848, the clerk is recognized as a constitutional officer, is responsible through prior statutes for the recordation and filing of documents affecting real property, and maintaining their prior "judicial" and civil functions in their constitutional office. The position of clerk was transferred from the section of the Constitution dealing with judiciary in 1796 to the section of the Constitution dealing with "civil officers" in the Constitution of 1844.
Other than very minor changes in the language, the role, duty, responsibility and authority of the county clerks continued under the Constitution of 1947 under Article XII, section 2, par. 2, which provides:
County clerks . . . shall be elected by the people of their respective counties at general elections. The term of office of county clerks . . . shall be five years . . . Whenever a vacancy shall occur any such office it shall be filled in the manner provided by law.
In 1904 the provisions of N.J.S.A. 40:39-2 were adopted which gave a county the option of creating a non-constitutional office of legislative creation called the Office of the Register of Deeds and Mortgages if the county had a population exceeding 185,000. By amendment to this statute, it was subsequently increased to a minimum population of 250,000. The counties of Essex, Hudson, and Passaic now have an Office of the Register of Deeds and Mortgages. Thus, a constitutional power was transferred to a non-constitutional office without a constitutional amendment.
In one of the few decisions on the recording of deeds, Freeholders of Middlesex v. Conger, 67 N.J.L. 444, 447 (N.J. Sup. Ct. 1902), its stated that:
. . . Our first act which provided a system for recording deeds was the act respecting conveyances of June 7th, 1799, section 10 of which provided for recording deeds, properly acknowledged, with the secretary of state, and the act also provided that the clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of the county shall record in large, well-bound books, of good paper, to be provided for that purpose, and carefully preserved, all deeds and conveyances of lands Iying and being in said county which should be delivered to him to be recorded. To which books every person shall have access at proper seasons and be entitled to transcripts from the same on paying the fees allowed by law.
In Freeholders of Middlesex, the County Board of Freeholders sought to take custody of the real property records of the county and take them away from the clerk. The court found, that:
The duties of the clerks of counties are defined by the constitution, and they are, in addition to being clerks of the Courts of Common Pleas and Quarter Sessions, to perform the duties and be subject to the regulations now required of them by law, until otherwise ordained by the legislature. Const, art. 10, par. 11.
The rights and duties of clerks of counties are therefore fixed by the constitution of 1844 as they then existed by law, and are so to continue until otherwise ordained by the legislature. (Freeholders of Middlesex, supra, at 446)
As the Court stated:
The Act of 1846 had made no change in the duties or powers of the clerk which existed prior to 1844, and, by the express provision of the constitution above cited, there being no change in the law, whatever rights the clerk then had or whatever duties were then required, still exist, unless they have been changed in some way by the revision of the act respecting conveyances in 1898.
A careful examination of that act fails to disclose any change in the control of the clerk over the records of deeds and mortgages.
The Court found that the administration of the existing property records and recording of deeds was constitutionally conferred by the people on the clerks and beyond the control of the freeholders. The long historical role of the Clerks, as constitutional officers, performing what is now a statutory function in recording documents of title, establishes an area of expertise and unique function.
See Also Research In State Probate Records - Probate records include a variety of documents created to support court proceedings in the settlement of an individuals' estates. The number and type of probate records created may vary over time in different jurisdictions and due to the amount of real and personal property involved. The various documents generated in the probate process are rarely filed together......
New Jersey Probate Records - As in New York, the county court with jurisdiction over estates is called the surrogate's court (where the modern petition for probate is called the "complaint"). A typical "Surrogate's General Index," however, refers to docket books, where a summary of the action on an estate is entered, with reference to the estate file and to the record volumes. Depending on the action, some information will be found in orphans' court records. Also with the county surrogate (and usually with the county clerk as well) are records of divisions or partitions of lands that include descriptions and often maps showing how the real property of a person who died intestate was divided among his or her heirs. These records have been published for the following counties: Essex (1793-1881), Middlesex (1780-1870), Morris (1785-1907), Somerset and Hunterdon (1809-1904), Sussex (1789-1918), and Warren (1824-1924).
In New Jersey, original wills and inventories up to 1901 are on file at the New Jersey State Archives and are identified through Index of Wills, Inventories, Etc. This set is arranged by county and then alphabetically by name of the estate, with separate sections for wills proved in the prerogative court (precurser to the surrogate's courts) and unrecorded wills. Each estate has a number that relates to the file at the state archives, where these records can be examined on microfilm. Note that this index does not cover estate records in the county surrogates' courts. From 1901, original wills and inventories are filed with the Clerk of the Superior Court, Hughes Justice Complex, CN-971, Trenton, NJ 08625-0971.
By a law of 1784, orphans' courts were established with jurisdiction over estate matters, which until that time had been the responsibility of the prerogative court (the prerogative became an appellate court). Surrogate's courts were established in 1804, but action on estates should also be checked in orphans' court records. Prior to 1804, estates were handled in the proprietary capitals of Perth Amboy, East Jersey, and Burlington, West Jersey, but the records were sent to Trenton after it became the capital in 1790.
If an estate is not found in the indexes mentioned above, there still may be some record of it at the county level. The recorded wills and inventories, as well as the original and recorded bonds, accounts, guardianships, and other estate papers, will be found in the surrogate's court. Many of these county records have been filmed and are available at the state archives. Some colonial New Jersey estates may not be found either in Trenton or in the counties because they were proved in New York, Pennsylvania, or Delaware, and conversely some estates for these adjacent colonies were proved in New Jersey.
History of the Surrogate's Court Office
In New Jersey, the Surrogate's function has its beginnings in the earliest part of our colonial history. Since so much of our country's most fundamental legal offices can find their origins in the laws and practices of England, it is not surprising to know that the office of Surrogate can be traced back to when the Church of England had the duty of probating wills. When the Bishops were busy and needed assistance in handling the estates, they would appoint Surrogates to take their place. The word "Surrogate" is taken from the Latin word "Subregare," which means substitute.
The British Governor of the colony of New Jersey had the responsibility for probating all wills and establishing the administration of all estates in the colony. In 1683 and 1698, statutes were enacted which required wills and letters of administration to be entered in the colony's public register. By the year 1693, the Governor of the colony of New Jersey had appointed the first "Surrogate" for East New Jersey as the Governor's appointed deputy. In 1713, wills were required to be proved and entered in one book of records and registered. (The Bergen County Surrogate's Court currently stores and maintains wills dating back to 1714).
When East and West New Jersey were combined in 1720, the Governor appointed the first Surrogate covering the entire colony of New Jersey. From 1720 through 1767, the colony was serviced by a number of Deputy Surrogates appointed by the Surrogate. For several of those years, Bergen County was served by more than one Surrogate at a time. In 1767, the Governor appointed one Surrogate for all of Bergen County.
In 1822, the laws in New Jersey were amended, granting the state legislature the power to appoint the County Surrogate. However, in 1844, the New Jersey Constitution prescribed that the Surrogate was to be an elected, independent constitutional officer in the county, no longer to be regarded as a deputy of the Governor or the appointee of the legislature. The Constitution of 1844 provided that the Surrogate was to be elected for a five-year term by the people of that county.
Excerpts From the Book "Family History Made Easy"
Even today, few people escape mention in court records at some time during their lives as witnesses, litigants, jurors, appointees to office, or as petition signatories. However, Americans of a few generations ago also expected to attend local court proceedings when they were in session. Arlene H. Eakle, Ph.D. “Research in Court Records”
In The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy
American court files mirror U.S. history. Buried away in courthouses and archives everywhere are the dreams and frustrations of millions of citizens. The chances are great that your ancestors have left a detailed record of at least some aspects of their lives in court records.
Most of us don’t think of court records as the rich source of personal history that they are. But America’s English heritage established a tradition of court processes in which the people have a right to participate actively—and we always have. With relative freedom from royal supervision and with court enforcement of religious as well as civil laws, American courts tried many matters that were not subject to court action in other parts of the British empire and that are now considered too minor to warrant criminal action.
When a person dies, every state has laws that provide for public supervision over the estate that is left, whether or not there is a will. The term “probate records” broadly covers all the records produced by these laws, although, strictly speaking, “probate” applies only when there is a will.
Family historians use probate case files far more than any other kind of court record. Probate case files are logical sources because they tend to include so much personal data, and because Americans have depended on the courts to settle their estates since North America was colonized. According to Val Greenwood in his Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy, “All records which relate to the disposition of an estate after its owner’s death are referred to as probate records. These are many and varied in both content and value, but basically, they fall into two main classes: testate and intestate” (page 255). Probate case files generally provide names, addresses, and biographical data for the deceased, but frequently provide the same information for other relatives named in the papers. Relationships, maiden names of wives, married names of daughters, past residences, and place of origin in a native country are just a few of the details that can be discovered in probate files. And probate files can be found in courthouses and archives across the United States.
When requesting probate information from the county clerk, it is important not to limit yourself by asking for a person’s “will.” The clerk will usually take you at your word and not copy other papers in the probate file that may have equally important information if there is no will.
Even if your ancestor is not mentioned in a probate case, consider all of the other procedures which might have resulted in him or her appearing in court records:
New Jersey Church Records - Church records are just as important in New Jersey as in the other Mid-Atlantic states, but many have been lost or destroyed.
See Also Research In State Church & Cemetery Records - Church records rank among the most promising of genealogical records available. Indeed, for periods before the advent of civil registration of vital statistics (a very late development in many American states), church records rank as the best available sources for information on specific vital events: birth, marriage, and death. They are also among the most under-used major records in American genealogy. Part of the reason lies in the number of denominations-there are hundreds of them. Identifying and locating the records of these various churches makes even professional genealogists hesitate......
Many New Jersey church records have been published in state historical and genealogical journals, such as The Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey. Original and transcribed material is to be found at the New Jersey Historical Society (including the DAR collection), Rutgers, the Glouster County Historical Society, and elsewhere, and in New York, Delaware, and Pennsylvania sources and libraries, particularly in the Collections of the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania.
The Historical Society of the Reformed Church in America
21 Seminary Place, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
has published a Guide to Local Church Records in the Reformed Church in America and to Genealogical Resources in the Gardner Sage Library, New Brunswick Theological Seminary, Local Church Archive Group Special Guide No. 1.
University Archives, Steton Hall University
South Orange Avenue, South Orange, NJ 07079
maintains microfilm copies of parish registers from 1832 to 1914 for the Archdiocese of Newark, which until 1881 included all of New Jersey. A small research fee is charged for inquiries. Records after 1914 are in the individual parishes but are not open for research. In 1881 the archdiocese was divided, with a Southern Archdiocese in Trenton, which lost most of its records in a fire in 1956. Another split in 1937 created archdioceses at Paterson and Camden. Trenton and Camden have no archives.
Diocesan House of the Episcopal Church
808 West State Street, Trenton, NJ 08618
has copies of baptismal and confirmation records from individual churches. The church archives has a full run of diocesan journals, which are not indexed but are useful for tracing clergy and convention delegates; the church newspaper; published and manuscript church histories; and fragmentary records for only eighteen of the eighty or more extinct churches.
The Methodist church has an archives for each of its two state conferences:
United Methodist Church Archives, Northern New Jersey Conference
Drew University, 36 Madison Avenue. Madison, NJ 07940
United Methodist Church Archives, Southern New Jersey Conference
Bishop's Building, Pennington School, 40 Delaware Avenue, Pennington, NJ 08534.
Inquiries about Presbyterian records should be made to the History Department, Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A., and about Baptist records to the American Baptist Historical Society in Rochester, New York.
New Jersey Cemetery Records - The important work of grave marker transcribing has been the goal of the Genealogical Society of New Jersey, which was originally formed by "Tombstone Hounds." Their core collection is at Rutgers University, where there is a card index by county and name of the cemetery as well as a "master index" arranged alphabetically by surname but only for selected cemeteries. Many of the society's transcriptions have been published in their journal, The Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey. Another large collection of cemetery records is that gathered by the New Jersey DAR chapters, with copies deposited at the New Jersey State Library and the New Jersey Historical Society. Both these places have other cemetery records, as do the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania and the New York Public Library. Some individual books of cemetery inscriptions have been published, and some are found in The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record.
Cemetery records and gravestone inscriptions are a rich source of information for family historians. Cemetery and other sources of information associated with death include:
New Jersey Land Records - The earliest sales of land in New Jersey were by the proprietors of East and West Jersey, which still hold some land today and maintain their records, although those for West Jersey are on film at the state archives. Until the Land Act of 1785 transferred the recording of deeds to the counties, land conveyances after the initial grants from the proprietors were recorded in the East and West New Jersey capitals, Perth Amboy and Burlington, and in 1795 transferred to Trenton, where they became known as the Secretary of State's Deeds. These deeds, dating 1664 to the 1800s, are at the state archives. It has been estimated that only a quarter of colonial land transfers were recorded.
See Also Researching in Land Records - Land records provide two types of important evidence for the genealogist. Prior to the Civil War, more than eighty-five percent of all Americans owned or leased land. Therefore, almost every researcher, whether a seasoned professional or weekend hobbyist, has required land records to document the existence, association, or movement of an individual or ancestral family. Most beginning genealogists underestimate the importance of using land records to pin persons to specific locales. In the South, which has far fewer vital records than New England, the land records are even more crucial to genealogical success. For answers to these and other questions, researchers look to Land records......
At the county level are found the usual deeds and mortgages, with corresponding indexes to each type of record. These records begin for most counties at two stages. Mortgages have been recorded with the county clerk from 1766 and deeds from 1785, and generally one would expect to find such records for all counties established by these dates. There is, however, some variance, and some counties recorded deeds in earlier years. At least two counties, Hudson and Passaic, have abstracts of deeds pre-dating the formation of the county that pertain to lands previously in parent counties. Microfilm of deeds, recorded about 1900, and mortgages, to about 1850, for almost all New Jersey counties are available at the New Jersey State Archives. Also with the county clerk are divisions or partitions of lands that include descriptions and often maps showing how the real property of a person who died intestate was divided among his or her heirs. Many unrecorded deeds are found at the state archives, the New Jersey Historical Society, Rutgers, and in several local historical societies.
Prior to the Civil War, more than eighty-five percent of all Americans owned or leased land. Therefore, almost every researcher, whether a seasoned professional or weekend hobbyist, has required land records to document the existence, association, or movement of an individual or ancestral family. While many researchers may feel a sense of historical excitement when finding an ancestor in a land deed, many also fail to understand the importance of such a document and how land can be used to make vital links between generations; they are not aware that it can bridge distant origins and help solve even the most difficult problems. E. Wade Hone,
In Land and Property Research in the United States
The right to own land has always been one of the great incentives for living in the United States. Yet researchers often overlook the importance of land records as a source of family history information. Written evidence of people’s entitlement goes back in time further than virtually any other type of record family historians might use.
Land records meet the needs of researchers in different ways and contain a variety of genealogical and historical data. They are a major source of information for many family histories and provide primary source material for local history as well. They are closely related to probate and other official court records and should be investigated in connection with them. Land and property are leading issues in the settlement of estates, and the majority of civil cases in the courts deal with real and personal property. Although land records rarely yield vital statistics, in many instances they provide the only proof of family relationships. Often they include the names of heirs of an estate (including daughters’ married names and a widow’s subsequent married name) and refer to related probates and other court cases by number and court name. In some places where other records are scarce, the land records take on extra importance. Occasionally these documents disclose former residences and more often provide the new address of the grantors or heirs at the time of the sale of the property.
Land records provide two types of important evidence for the family historian. First, they often document family relationships. Second, they place individuals in a specific time and place, allowing the researcher to sort people and families into neighborhoods and closely related groups. One of land records’ most important qualities is that they are sometimes the only records that allow us to distinguish one person of a common name from another.
The National Archives has bounty-land warrant files, donation land entry files, homestead application files, and private land claim files relating to the entry of individual settlers on land in the public land states. There are no land records for the original thirteen states or for Maine, Vermont, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas, and Hawaii. Records for these states are maintained by state officials, usually in the state capital. Searching for the record of a particular land grant from the federal government requires contacting both the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the National Archives (NARA).
New Jersey Military Records - Pre-World War I material on New Jersey's military activities is mostly found at the New Jersey State Archives, with later records at: New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs, Eggert Crossing Road, CN-340, Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0340.
Some material has been published, but there is little on the colonial period. For the Revolutionary period there is the Official Register of the Officers and Men of New Jersey in the Revolutionary War, compiled by Adjutant General William S. Stryker. The state archives also has war damage claims filed by the British and Americans, 1776-82.
See Also Researching in Military Records - The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest.......
The site U.S. Wars list conflicts dating from earliest to 1865. Wars covered that are availibele are:
Revolutionary War - Records of Officers and Men of New Jersey in the Wars 1791-1815, compiled by the Adjutant General's Office mostly covers the War of 1812 period.
Below is a list of online resources for New Jersey in the Revolutionary War. Email us with websites containing information on New Jerseyin the Revolutionary War by clicking the link below:
Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 from the State of New Jersey (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
New Jersey Pensioners, 1835: This database identifies thousands of New Jersey soldiers who were covered under various pension acts in the early 1800s.
Civil War - The National Archives microfilm "Index to Compiled Service Record of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served...from New Jersey" is at the Northeast Region. The state archives also has indexes to the Spanish-American War and some other pre-World War I military service, as well as unindexed material on the War of 1812, Mexican War, Spanish-American War, the State Militia (1789-1947), and the National Guard (to about 1910). Modern military records are with the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs.
Below is a list of online resources for New Jersey in the Civil War. Email us with websites containing information on New Jerseyin the Civil War by clicking the link below:
Southern Claims Commission from the State of New Jersey (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents In the 1870s, southerners claimed compensation from the U.S. government for items used by the Union Army, ranging from corn and horses, to trees and church buildings.
Military and pension records are among the most useful sources available to genealogists because of the detail they offer. These records are important because they may provide an ancestor’s date of birth, place of residence, the names and addresses of family members, and other details that can round out a picture of his or her life. Judith Prowse Reid,
Head, Local History and Genealogy, Library of Congress
Military records have originated at the federal, state, and local levels. Whether created in time of war or in time of peace, these records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served in the military forces of the United States. Almost every American family, in one generation or another, has seen one or more of its members serve in America’s armed forces. From regimental histories, which provide blow-by-blow accounts of a unit’s participation in military actions, to the personal details contained in the service and pension files of individual men and women, military records provide valuable information concerning a large and significant portion of the American population. And because military records have been preserved and made available at and through a number of research institutions, much information awaits the well-prepared researcher.
How to Find Military Records
To locate military records for any individual, it is essential to know when and where in the armed forces he or she served and whether that person served in the enlisted ranks or was an officer. (If you don’t have that identifying information, some potential solutions are discussed below.)
As in any research project, it is important to study carefully whatever is already known about the subject of interest. Families and communities frequently pass down stories of military heroes from generation to generation. In most cases, these stories retain some fact, but, with the passage of years and in the process of retelling, accuracy fades. At any rate, family stories should not be overlooked for clues at the start of a military search.
When and where did the individual live? Did the family keep evidence of military service? Certificates, letters, journals, diaries, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, photographs, medals, swords, and other memorabilia kept in private collections may provide the basic facts needed to begin searching in military record collections.
Military Time Lines
Creating a historical time line can be especially useful for determining if and when the subject might have served in the military. By compiling a chronological list of the known dates and places of residence of an individual from birth through adulthood, it is frequently easy to discover the possibility of military service. Was the individual the right age to be eligible for the draft or to serve voluntarily in the Civil War? Is it likely that the person served on the Northern rather than the Southern side, or vice versa? For records from the colonial period to more recent military engagements, the place of residence is key to finding an individual’s records.
Evidence of Military Service in Hometown Records
There are a number of public records that are potentially valuable in discovering the military history of a veteran. It has been a long-standing American tradition to foster patriotism by honoring local sons and daughters who have defended the ideals of their country. Hometown military heroes are frequently noted on public monuments, and local newspaper files may yield surprisingly detailed accounts of a community’s well-known and less-famous military personnel.
Military History
Commercial enterprises and historically oriented groups and institutions have regularly published local histories. As a rule, these histories will include glowing accounts of the area’s involvement in military activities. Some volumes provide biographical sketches of military leaders, while others attempt to list all of the community’s participants in various military conflicts. Locally focused histories have been published at various times for virtually every state and county in the United States. Do not overlook them as an important research aid. P. William Filby’s A Bibliography of American County Histories is a list of five thousand such sources.
In addition to the standard histories, local public libraries and historical societies usually preserve and make available other types of publications that document the military history of the geographical areas they serve. Historical agencies collect biographies, letters, diaries, journals, and all sorts of memorabilia from military units and servicemen and -women. The personal accounts found in some collections are a fascinating means of stepping back in time. Firsthand accounts afford a better understanding of the day-to-day drudgery, loneliness, fears, and satisfactions of military life.
Evidence of Military Service in Cemeteries
Cemeteries provide yet another local source of information regarding individuals who served in the armed forces. Almost every cemetery in the United States contains some evidence of military events and veterans. Cemetery records and grave markers frequently identify military dead by name, rank, and unit designation. If a man or woman died elsewhere while in the service, the body was frequently brought home for burial; cemetery records often note the place and date of death.
Evidence of Military Service in Court Records
Court records are yet another potential source for identifying those who served in the military. Most counties formally recorded and indexed the names of their citizens who were discharged from the military. In some local courts, “military discharges” will be found indexed separately, and in others the military records may be oddly interspersed with deeds, naturalizations, or other categories of documents. The contents of military records may vary greatly from one courthouse to another. Some will provide biographical information, while others may simply list names and the event or names and date of certificate issue.
Military Records in the National Archives
Federal military documents that have been classified as archival material are in the custody of the National Archives and Records Administration. Not all records created by military agencies are judged to be permanently valuable. Generally, only records of historical or administrative importance are kept.
A wonderful array of federal military records are available in major libraries and archives and through microfilm rental programs. (Heritage Quest, a division of AGLL, Inc., PO Box 329, Bountiful, UT 84011-0329, is a source of rental microfilms.) With sufficient identifying information, you may request a search of the registers of enlistments or the compiled military service records. The minimum information required for a search is (1) the soldier’s full name, (2) the war in which he or she served or period of service, and (3) the state from which he or she served. For the Civil War, you must also indicate whether the person served in Union or Confederate forces. A separate copy of the form must be used for military service, pension, and bounty-land warrant applications. Submit requests for information about individuals who served in the military before World War I on NATF form 80 (Order for Copies of Veterans Records). Write to the National Archives and Records Administration, General Reference Branch, Washington, DC 20408 to obtain copies of NATF form 80. Always ask for “all records” for an individual.
Make requests for information about U.S. Army officers separated from the service after 1912 on standard form 180 (Request Pertaining to Military Records) and send it to the Military Personnel Records Center, 9700 Page Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63132.
U.S. Military Records
By far the most comprehensive study of military records and how to use them is found in James C. Neagles’s U.S. Military Records: A Guide to Federal and State Sources, Colonial America to the Present. Neagles’s guide addresses primary and secondary military sources and accessibility, including the following information-rich sources:
Records of state militias and the National Guard
Records of the army, navy, and other branches of the U.S. military
Records of the military academies
Post-service records
Pensions
Bounty-land grants
Bonuses and family assistance
Soldier’s homes
Military burials
Military installations
Censuses of veterans
Conscription
Civilian affairs
New Jersey Vital Records - Among the Mid-Atlantic states, New Jersey has the longest continuing run of statewide registration of births, marriages, and deaths, which began in May 1848. The New Jersey State Archives has these records with indexes through 1923 for births and through 1940 for marriages and deaths. Transcriptions of vital records only for May 1848 to May 1878 can be requested by mail for the current fee of $4. For the period 1848 to 1878 there are consolidated indexes by event, but they vary in the type and amount of identifying detail they provide. There are also consolidated indexes for births and marriages, 1878-1903 (but for grooms only, 1901-03). All death indexes are arranged by place within the registration period July through June, with an alphabetical index for 1901-03. Since 1903, records are filed yearly in alphabetical order for each event, with marriages arranged by name of groom.
Like the other Mid-Atlantic States, New Jersey had a colonial law that provided for the recording of births, marriages, and deaths in town records from about the 1670s, but this was rarely followed, as was a later law of 1799. The only known early records are those for Woodbridge and Piscataway. The former begin in the 1660s and were published to 1750 in Woodbridge and Vicinity by the Rev. Joseph W. Dally (New Brunswick: A. E. Gordon, 1873), pages 315-57, and reprinted as Vital Records of Woodbridge, New Jersey (Lambertville: Hunterdon House, 1983). Those for Piscataway were published in Proceedings of the New Jersey Historical Society, 3d Series, beginning at 2 (1896): 73, although the original records do not seem to have survived. Other early public vital records include marriage bonds for the period 1711-95, available at the New Jersey State Archives. Information from these bonds, together with some church and other marriage records, was published as volume 22 of Documents Relating to the Colonial History of New Jersey, 1st Series, 42 vols. (Newwark, Paterson, and Trenton, 1880-1949), popularly known as the “New Jersey Archives.” It was reprinted as William Nelson, New Jersey Marriage Records, 1665-1800 (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1967), and these should be supplemented by the bonds published for 1727-51 by Charles Carroll Gardner in The Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey, volumes 14 through 23, and by the originals at the state archives. The originals often show additional information not included in the published version, such as the names of bondsmen, and although more rarely, a parents' consent for a minor, or a prior marriage. Marriages were also to be kept by the county clerks from 1795. Most of these are available in published books or on film at the state archives, which also has the originals for Atlantic (volume 1 missing), Cumberland, and Somerset counties. The originals for Middlesex County are in the Department of Special Collections and Archives, Alexander Library, Rutgers University. Individual books of marriage records have been published for Atlantic, Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Monmouth, and Salem counties. Others have been published in The Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey (earliest records for Essex, Monmouth, and Morris) and the Somerset County Historical Quarterly (Somerset). For Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem counties, see also H. Stanley Craig, comp., South Jersey Marriages (Merchantville, N.J.: Pub. by compiler, n.d.). At the state archives are some records of slave births that were mostly recorded in the counties in the early 1800s. The slave birth records for Monmouth County are being published by that county's clerk Black Birth Book of Monmouth County, New Jersey, 1804-1848 (1989); see also The Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey 54 (1979): 83-94, for slave births for Sussex and Warren counties. The Guide to Vital Statistics Records In New Jersey, compiled by the New Jersey Historical Records Survey, 2 vols. (Newark, 1941), while dated, is helpful in determining what records existed for what communities.
For the period 1743 to 1850, divorces in New Jersey were granted by the chancery court or act of the legislature and are available at the state archives. Legislative divorces for 1778-1844 are indexed in John Hood, Index of Colonial and State Laws of New Jersey Between the Years 1663-1903 Inclusive (Camden: Sinnickson, Chew and Sons, 1905), pages 390-94, available at the New Jersey State Library, county law libraries, and elsewhere. This list is also found in George E. McCracken, “New Jersey Legislative Divorces, 1778-1844,” The American Genealogist, 34 (1958): 107-12. The original laws to the 1830s are on microfilm at the state archives and state library. Inquiries about later divorces should be addressed to Clerk of the Superior Court, Matrimonial Section, Hughes Justice Complex, CN 971, Trenton, NJ 08625-0971.
See Also Researching in Vital Records - Vital records, as their name suggests, are connected with central life events: birth, marriage, and death. Maintained by civil authorities, they are prime sources of genealogical information; but, unfortunately, official vital records are available only for relatively recent periods. These records, despite their recent creation in the United States, are critically important in genealogical research, often supplying details on family members well back into the nineteenth century.......
The State Bureau of Vital Statistics and Registration maintains Birth, marriage & Death Records from 1878 to the present. For copies of vital records from 1848 to 1877, please contact: New Jersey Department of State, Division of Archives and Records Management at P.O. Box 307, Trenton NJ 08625-0307, or call (609) 292-6260.
Getting Copies of Genealogical Records Birth, Death, and Marriage
STEP 1 Identifying the genealogical record: You must be able to identify the record by providing, at minimum, the information listed below on the application form. You may also provide more exact or complete information, if you wish. However, your request cannot be accepted unless you provide the minimum information below.
Full name on the record
City or county where the event occurred
Year the event occurred
Acceptable Identification: You must provide acceptable ID in order to get a copy of any vital record. The following are acceptable forms of ID:
A current, valid photo driver's license or photo non-driver's license OR
A current, valid driver’s license without photo and one alternate form of ID with current address OR
Two alternate forms of ID, one of which must have current address.
Alternate forms of ID are:
Vehicle registration
Vehicle insurance card
Passport
Voter registration
Green card/Immigrant visa
Federal/County ID
School ID
Court documents
W-2 for current/previous tax year
Utility/bank statement from within the last 90 days
Please do not send in original ID documents. Only copies are required.
Proof of Relationship: Proof of relationship is not required if you are asking for a certification, which is an uncertified informational copy of the vital record not valid for establishing identity or legal purposes. However, you must still provide proof of identity when requesting a certification.
To get a certified copy of a person’s genealogical vital record, you must provide proof of your relationship to the person listed on the record and the proof must establish you are one of the following:
The subject of the record
The subject’s parent, legal guardian or legal representative
The subject’s spouse/civil union partner; child, grandchild or sibling, if of legal age
A state or federal agency for official purposes
Pursuant to court order
See the How to Prove Relationship tips at the bottom of this page for information on how to prove your relationship. This is a key requirement to getting a certified copy of a vital record. Failure to provide proof of relationship is the number one reason applications must be rejected.
Payment of fees: Fees for copies of vital records issued by the Local Registrar’s Office vary by municipality. Please contact the specific office to learn more.
The State Bureau of Vital Statistics and Registration charges $25 for the first copy of a vital record and $2 for each additional copy of the same record ordered at the same time. Additional years can be searched for genealogical applications at a fee of $1 for each additional year searched.
Applications mailed to the State may be paid by check or money order made payable to: “Treasurer, State of New Jersey.” Applications made to the municipal office should be made payable to the municipality. We cannot accept credit card payment by mail. Also, please do not send cash through the mail. Our authorized vendor, VitalChek, can accept credit cards. Please see the following information about submitting your application.
STEP 2
There are several ways to get a copy of a vital record:
Expedited Service -- Mail, Phone, Fax or Internet Orders: Use our vendor VitalChek. Your document will be shipped faster than if you apply in writing to the State Bureau of Vital Statistics and Registration. Once your order is received by VitalChek it is usually processed and your documents returned within 25 business days. There is an additional $10.95 processing fee for this service, and you will need a credit card, check or money order to place your order. You can go directly to the VitalChek web site now to place your order. The website will walk you through the process. You will not have to return to the State Bureau of Vital Statistics and Registration web page.
Non-expedited Service -- Mail Orders Only: Genealogical records by mail from the State Bureau of Vital Statistics and Registration are typically processed within 14 to 16 weeks. You can mail your completed "Application for a Certification or Certified Copy of a Vital Record" (Birth, Marriage, Civil Union, Domestic Partnership, or Death Certificate) [pdf 54k*] [doc 47k] to the State Bureau of Vital Statistics and Registration or to the Local Registrar in the city or town where the vital event took place. The records you requested can only be sent to the address listed on your identification documents.
For a Local Registrar, call the Registrar’s office first for information on processing times and fees. (This service is currently not available in Jersey City for births. You must order Jersey City birth records from the State Bureau of Vital Statistics and Registration.)
For the State Bureau of Vital Statistics and Registration, mail to:
Bureau of Vital Statistics and Registration
Customer Service Unit – Non-Genealogical Requests
PO Box 370
Trenton, NJ 08625-0370
Ordering Vital Records Online - Getting documents by mail can take a long as six weeks or more. Through VitalChek Express Certificate Service you can get Birth, Marriage, Divorce & Death Certificates Signed, Sealed, & Delivered in as few as three business days!
Regardless of the where you place your order you will have to send with your application:
all required copies of ID establishing your identity
copies of documents proving your relationship to the person named on the record and
the correct fee.
Your application will be returned if you do not send in all required information.
Facts on Birth Records - Most early birth records contain very little biographical information. Typical early New England town and church records, for example, give little information beyond the name of the child, date and place of birth, and parents’ names. Some localities listed only the name of the father.
While early birth records can be discouragingly lacking in information, by the mid-nineteenth century birth records in the United States began to include more information. Even though births were not widely recorded during the early years of America’s existence, the records that do exist may be the only source of a birth date for an individual and should always be consulted.
Delayed births are also important vital registrations that you should consider for obtaining biographical information. When Social Security benefits were instituted in 1937, individuals claiming benefits had to document their birth even if the state of their birth did not require registration when they were born. Individuals who were not registered with state or county agencies at the time of their birth often applied for a delayed birth registration. Obtaining passports, insurance, and other benefits also required proof of age.
Applications were accompanied with full name, address, and date and place of birth; father’s name, race, and place of birth; and evidence to support the facts presented. The evidence could be in the form of a baptismal certificate, Bible record, school record, affidavit from the attending physician or midwife, application for an insurance policy, birth certificate of a child, or an affidavit from a person having definite knowledge of the facts. Delayed birth records are usually filed and indexed separately from regular birth registrations, and it may be necessary to request a separate search for them.
Facts on Marriage Records - Because of the importance of the legal distribution and control of property, most states and counties began to record marriages before births and deaths. The recording of a marriage is a two-step process. Traditionally, couples apply for a license to marry, and the applications are usually filed loose among other applications or in bound volumes. Marriage returns are filed once the marriage has taken place. The latter document is the proof of a marriage (not the license application).
Marriage applications are often filled out by both the bride and groom and typically contain a significant amount of genealogical information. They may list full names of the bride and groom, their residences, races, ages, dates and places of birth, previous marriages, occupations, and their parents’ names, places of birth, and occupations.
Marriage certificates are issued by counties after the marriage ceremony is completed, and these are usually found among family items. While the certificates tend to have less biographical data than the application, the name of the individual officiating at the wedding may lead you to religious records by revealing the denomination. The religious records, in turn, may reveal the names of witnesses and other useful information.
Early American records sometimes include marriage bonds, which served as a protection for the future children of the marriage. A bond obligated a prospective groom to pay the bond if he were discovered to be a bigamist or imposter or otherwise ineligible to contract a valid marriage. As long as the marriage was legal, the bond was void. Bonds generally include the groom’s name, name of the surety, the sum, and the date of the agreement.
New Jersey Marriages, 1684-1895: This database update adds marriage records for Salem County, in addition to records for Warren County, Atlantic, Bergen, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Sussex, Hunterdon, and Somerset counties.
New Jersey Marriages, Colonial Era, 1665-1800: In addition to the 45,000 names in this database, included is an historical introduction on the early marriage laws of New Jersey ,and the precedents on which they were founded.
Facts on Death Records - Early death records in the United States provide little more than the name of the deceased, the date of death, and the place of death. Obituaries and cemetery, court, and other records often provide more information about the deceased than do most official death records created before the last quarter of the 1800s.
By 1900 death records included more details. They often include the name of the deceased; date, place, and cause of death; age at the time of death; place of birth; parents’ names; occupation; name of spouse; name of the person giving the information; the informant’s relationship to the deceased; the name and address of the funeral director; and the place of burial. Race is listed in some records, and modern death certificates generally include a Social Security number.
Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of New Jersey obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a New Jersey newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers from New Jersey.
America's Obituaries (1977 to current) at Genealogybank.com - Obituaries contain helpful information such as names, dates, places of birth, death, marriage and family information. Over 28 million obituaries make this the most complete collection from the 20th and 21st centuries - includes over 1,100 U.S. newspapers. New content added daily!
