New Jersey Archives and Libraries: Difference between revisions

:NJ books, censuses, maps, city directories, local histories, vital records, church records, family folders, and indexes to New Jersey family history sources.<ref>[http://www.jerseyhistory.org/librarymain.html The New Jersey Historical Society Library] in ''New Jersey Historical Society'' (accessed 15 September 2015).</ref> Guides to the collections are available on the library website. Fees are charged to visit the library. The library staff will do a limited amount of research for a fee.<br><br>

:Wills are one of the most important records for New Jersey research, and many of those wills 1670-1900 are housed here. The New Jersey State Archives is the official repository for all colonial and state government records. Its collections include manuscripts, births 1848-1923, marriages and deaths 1848-1940, deeds 1660s-1880s, military records of the Revolution, petitions, court records 1680-1850, NJ state censuses 1855-1915, election returns, taxes 1772-1882, railroad and turnpike records, and microfilms of pre-1900 county and town records.<ref name="DB77">William Dollarhide and Ronald A. Bremer. ''America's Best Genealogy Resource Centers'' (Bountiful, Utah: Heritage Quest, 1998), 77. {{WorldCat|39493985}}; {{FSC|728550|item|disp=FS Library Ref Book 973 J54d}}.</ref> The state archives also has several [https://wwwnet-dos.state.nj.us/DOS_ArchivesDBPortal/index.aspx searchable databases online]. See also:<br><br>  

:*[http://nj.gov/state/archives/index.html '''New Jersey State Archives: Searchable Databases''']. The databases include indexes for Marriage and  Death and much more.

:*Bette Marie Barker, Daniel P. Jones, and Karl J. Niederer, ''Guide to Family History Sources in the New Jersey State Archives, 2nd ed.'' (Trenton, New Jersey: Division of Archives and Records Management, 1990). {{WorldCat|22240299}}; {{FSC|176883|item|disp=FS Catalog book 974.9 A1 no. 123}}.<br><br>

:The state library collects published sources, including printed genealogies, guides, how-to books, indexes, maps and atlases, church records, local histories, city directories, legislative reports, legal digests, and periodicals.<ref name="DB77" /> It also has microfilm copies of federal censuses of the eastern states, New Jersey state censuses, and major New Jersey newspapers. The library staff will do limited checking of indexes and directories in response to telephone or written requests. They will make photocopies for a fee.<br><br>

:Birth, marriage and death records since 1917. Proof of relationship is required. Vital records are also available from local vital records offices in the municipality where the event occurred. See the '''[[New Jersey State Archives]]''' for vital records from May 1848 – 1916.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/health/vital/ Vital Statistics] in ''New Jersey Department of Health'' (accessed 20 April 2017).</ref><br><br>

:Consider this your best, first-stop for New Jersey research.<ref name="DB77" />  

:The '''regular collection''' includes material from the [http://www.gsnj.org/ Genealogical Society of New Jersey], and the Daughters of the American Revolution. It also holds biographies, histories, genealogies, family folders, Bibles, census, special indexes, cemetery transcripts, and professional genealogists' notes on New Jersey families.<ref name="DB77" />  

:'''Special Collections''' include manuscripts, letters, rare books, New Jersey town records, diaries since 1746, historical maps, newspapers, and the University archives.<ref name="DB77" /> Diaries and journals are inventoried in:

::*Donald A. Sinclair, comp., ''A Guide to Manuscript Diaries and Journals in the Special Collections Department, Rutgers University'' (New Brunswick, New Jersey: Rutgers University Library, 1980). {{WorldCat|7912561}}; Not available at the FamilySearch Library.<br><br>

:They have the single largest collection of Camden county historical records, including 20,000 books, cemetery records, pamphlets, maps, deeds, diaries and genealogical material, as well as maps, Camden County newspapers, and city directories for both Camden and Philadelphia. Their collection of South Jersey documents is growing.<ref>[http://www.cchsnj.org/#!archives/c1ghi Archives] in ''Camden County Historical Society'' (accessed 15 September 2015).</ref><br><br>

:The library has an extensive collection of census records, vital records, cemetery sources, maps, church records, local histories, city directories, genealogical charts, and an index of slaves and servants in wills 1670-1817.<ref>[https://www.gchsnj.org/resources/database-search/ Library] in ''Gloucester County Historical Society'' (accessed 15 September 2015).</ref> Many are digitized and available online.<br><br>

:The archival collection includes organizational documents, historical records, photographs, oral histories, area Jewish newspapers, individual family files, and other research materials.<ref>[http://www.jewishgen.org/jhscj/collections.html Collectons] in ''Jewish Historical Society of Central Jersey'' (accessed 15 September 2015).</ref><br><br>

:New Jersey and early American histories, genealogies, maps, historical newspapers, historic preservation materials, manuscripts, city directories of New Jersey and New York City, Morris County surname files, and family papers.<ref>[http://www.jfpl.org/NJHistoryOurCollections.cfm Our Collections] in ''North Jersey History and Genealogy Center'' (accessed 16 September 2015).</ref>[[File:Newark Public Library Main Branch.jpg|thumb|right|280px|Newark Public Library Main Branch]]<br><br>

:The library has newspapers and city directories for Newark and microfilm copies of all existing New Jersey federal and state censuses. This library serves as a New Jersey State Documents Depository as well as a Regional Depository for U.S. Government Publications.<ref>[http://www.npl.org/Pages/Collections/njicgene.html Selected Materials in the New Jersey Information Center Relative to New Jersey Genealogical Research] in ''The Newark Public Library'' (accessed 16 September 2015).</ref> They also have African American and Hispanic collections. The staff will search and copy obituaries and other records for a fee.[[File:Princeton University Firestone Library.jpg|thumb|right|190px|Princeton U Firestone Library]]<br><br>

:They have a huge manuscript collection, as well as histories, biographies, and a government documents depository.<ref name="DB77" /><br><br>

:Their genealogical strength is in Delaware River Valley history, including nearly every Quaker line in New Jersey. This is a crucial resource if you have early Quaker ancestors in New Jersey.<ref name="DB77" /> Before 1992 it was known as the Glassboro State College Savitz Library.<br><br>

:Special Collections includes Roman Catholic parish registers and cemetery records in the Archdiocese of Newark comprising Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Union counties.<ref name="SHU">[http://library.shu.edu/archives/genealogy-resources Genealogy Resources] in ''Seton Hall University Libraries'' (accessed 16 September 2015).</ref> '''Please call ahead'''.

:Many of their Roman Catholic church records are also available as [https://www.familysearch.org/en/library/ FamilySearch Library] microfilms—see their [http://library.shu.edu/ld.php?content_id=14834131 FS Library Microfilm Index], and contrast it with their list of [http://library.shu.edu/ld.php?content_id=14834136 Non-Microfilmed (Catholic) Church Records].<ref name="SHU" />

:They also offer a remote research request service via their [http://library.shu.edu/archives/genealogy-requests Genealogy Research Requests] form.<ref name="SHU" />

:Has early Quakers, Germans, Scots-Irish, and other settlers in William Penn's colonies of Pennsylvania, '''New Jersey''', and Delaware. This is also an excellent place to learn about early settlers of '''New Jersey'''.<ref name="DB55">Dollarhide and Bremer, 55.</ref> Records which have been published are normally well-indexed. This society also has 17th-, 18th-, and 19th-century manuscripts (letters, diaries, account books, deeds, minutes, and scrapbooks), passenger arrival lists and indexes, <ref>Dollarhide and Bremer, 95.</ref> local and regional history, ethnic and immigrant studies materials, 600,000 books, 20 million manuscripts, over 300,000 graphics items, and 300 years of newspapers.<ref>[http://hsp.org/collections/about-our-collections About Our Collections] in ''Historical Society of Pennsylvania'' (accessed 27 December 2013).</ref> <br><br>

:The National Archives at New York City has records created by federal agencies in New York, '''New Jersey''', Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands. The archives has naturalization records, internal revenue service records, customs lists, and records of the U.S. District Court of Appeals. The archives also has microfilms of all available federal census records, many naturalization records, passenger arrival lists, military records, and other historical resources.  

:The National Archives has announced that in the fall of 2012 the records of this branch will be moved to the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House at One Bowling Green in New York City. <br><br>

:Has federal agency and court records for Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia. All U.S. federal censuses 1790-1940, and indexes. Also have passenger arrivals in Philadelphia 1800-1945 and Baltimore, pension and bounty land warrant applications, naturalizations 1790-1990, early federal history, diplomacy, military history, Chinese-Americans, World War II homefront, National Park Service, merchant marine, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, federal tax evasion and smuggling cases.<ref name="DB12627">Dollarhide and Bremer, 126-27.</ref> Using these archives helps '''New Jersey''' research because of close ties to Pennsylvania in earlier years.<br><br>

:This is one of the largest research libraries in the world including excellent genealogical resources for '''New Jersey'''. The library has city and telephone directories, vital records indexes, local histories, genealogies, federal and state censuses, passenger lists, genealogical collections (including DAR transcripts), and church records.<ref name="DB81">Dollarhide and Bremer, 81.</ref> For maps, write to the Map Division at the same address.<br><br>

::[[Morristown New Jersey FamilySearch Center]]<br>283 James St.<br>Morris Township, NJ<br>Telephone: 973-539-5362.

:::Each center is staffed by volunteers and has varying hours and services. Telephone in advance to verify their hours.