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Trenton, NJ 08625-0307

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Essex County - Courts and Miscellaneous


Essex County was formed 7 March 1683 as an original county in the Province of East Jersey. Portions of old Essex County became Passaic (1837) and Union (1857) counties.

The State Archives' holdings vary from county to county. Consult the Collecting Policy for additional information about our accessioning guidelines.

Consult the Organizational Chart for Pre-1948 Court System for information on court jurisdictions.


Series:
Essex County
Court of Common Pleas
Petitions for Tavern Licenses, 1702-1891
Control #:
CESCP001
Format:
6.25 c.f. (14 boxes); 8 reels (35-mm)
Arrangement:
Alphabetical by tavern keeper
Notes:
Card file index to names available in the Manuscript Room.
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Essex County
Court of Common Pleas
Petitions for Peddler's Licenses, 1739-1867
Control #:
CESCP002
Format:
0.5 c.f. (1 box)
Arrangement:
Alphabetical by petitioner
Notes:
Includes petitions from the Court of General Quarter Sessions Peace and from officials of Elizabeth Borough.
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Essex County
Minutes of the Circuit Court, Court of Common Pleas, and Court of General Quarter Session, 1709-1907
Control #:
CESCP003
Format:
19 c.f. (57 vols.); 13 reels (35-mm)
Arrangement:
Chronological
Notes:
Bound volumes cover 1709-1907; microfilm covers 1709-1849. Later Quarter Sessions minutes are continued in a separate series.
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Essex County
Court of Common Pleas
Road Books, 1698-1930 and Index, 1698-1970
Control #:
CESCP004
Format:
0.5 c.f. (2 vols.); 5 reels (35-mm)
Arrangement:
Chronological
Notes:
Book A is followed by Book "D".
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Essex County
Court of Common Pleas
Naturalization Records, 1792-1931, and Indexes 1839-1931
Control #:
CESCP005
Format:
300 c.f. (various); 164 reels (35-mm)
Arrangement:
By record type, then chronological
Notes:
Portfolio index provides references to Court of Common Pleas Minute Books Z & A2-I2 which are available on microfilm.
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Essex County
Court of Common Pleas
Certificates of Lunacy/Non-Criminal Commitments, 1888-1903 and Indexes, 1853-1981
Control #:
CESCP006
Format:
23 reels (35-mm)
Arrangement:
Chronological
Notes:
Includes commitments to psychiatric institutions and other hospitals.
Restrictions:
Some records may be confidential per NJSA 30:4-24.3
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Essex County
Court of Common Pleas
Judgments, 1799-1911
Control #:
CESCP007
Format:
14 c.f. (26 boxes, 4 vols.)
Arrangement:
Chronological
Notes:
Includes indexes to some volumes.
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Essex County
Court of Common Pleas
Partitions of Land, 1826-1882
Control #:
CESCP008
Format:
1.5 c.f. (3 boxes); 1 reel (35-mm)
Arrangement:
Chronological
Notes:
Includes reports of commissioners appointed to partition land, and related materials.
Typed index included at the beginning of the reel.
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Essex County
Court of Common Pleas
Executions, 1787-1905
Control #:
CESCP009
Format:
11.75 c.f. (30 boxes)
Arrangement:
Chronological by filing date
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Essex County
Court of Common Pleas
Appeal Judgment Indexes, 1873-1902
Control #:
CESCP010
Format:
0.6 c.f. (4 vols.)
Arrangement:
By surname first name, then chrono.
Notes:
Give reference to date of judgments recorded in the Court of Common Pleas minute books.
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Essex County
Court of Common Pleas
Index to Insolvent Debtors, 1889-1896
Control #:
CESCP011
Format:
0.15 c.f. (1 vol.)
Arrangement:
By surname first letter, then chrono.
Notes:
Covers the period May 1889 - September 1896.

Series:
Essex County
Court of Common Pleas
Record of Widows Pensions, 1913-1938
Control #:
CESCP012
Format:
7 c.f. (13 volumes)
Arrangement:
Chronological

Series:
Essex County
Department of Public Safety
Essex County Jail
Jail Statistics, 1917-1981
Control #:
CESPU001
Format:
0.6 c.f. (1 vol.)
Arrangement:
Chronological

Series:
Essex County
Court of General Quarter Sessions of the Peace
Shopkeepers' Petitions and Licenses, 1781
Control #:
CESQU001
Format:
0.25 c.f. (1 box)
Arrangement:
Alphabetical by shopkeeper
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Essex County
Court of General Quarter Sessions of the Peace
Minutes, 1841-1902
Control #:
CESQU002
Format:
5.25 c.f. (11 boxes)
Arrangement:
Chronological
Notes:
Early Quarter Sessions minutes are recorded with the minutes of the Court of Common Pleas.
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Essex County
Court of General Quarter Sessions of the Peace
Minutes of Special Sessions, 1868-1907
Control #:
CESQU003
Format:
3 c.f. (3 boxes)
Arrangement:
Chronological
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Essex County
Court of General Quarter Sessions of the Peace
Index to Judgments on Forfeited Recognizances, 1873-1896
Control #:
CESQU004
Format:
0.3 c.f. (2 vols.)
Arrangement:
By surname first letter, then chrono.
Notes:
Provides references to judgments recorded in minutes of the court; includes Quarter Sessions and Special Sessions.
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Essex County
Sheriff's Office
Bond Book Indexes, 1879-1900s
Control #:
CESSH001
Format:
0.7 c.f. (7 vols.)
Arrangement:
By surname first letter
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Essex County
Sheriff's Office
Record of Summons and Warrants, 1804
Control #:
CESSH002
Format:
0.1 c.f. (1 portfolio)
Arrangement:
Chronological
Notes:
Dates from July-August 1804.

Series:
Essex County
Sheriff's Office
Essex County Penitentiary
Record of Prisoners, No. 2, 1887-1891
Control #:
CESSH003
Format:
0.75 c.f. (1 vol.)
Arrangement:
By surname first letter, then chrono.

Series:
Essex County
Superintendent of Schools
Correspondence relating to the Emergency Relief Administration, 1933-1936
Control #:
CESSP001
Format:
0.5 c.f. (1 box)


~ The collections listed on this page represent 372.7 c.f. of paper records and 214 reels of microfilm ~


To contact the New Jersey State Archives about research, reference services, records transfers or donations, please email us at njarchives@sos.nj.gov



This page last updated 05/17/2006