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Mailing Address:
NJ State Archives
P.O. Box 307
Trenton, NJ 08625-0307

Office Address:
225 West State Street - 2nd Floor
Trenton, NJ

Contact Information

Email: Feedback@sos.nj.gov

Pre-1947 Governors


For early governors' papers, also see the Bureau of Archives & History Manuscript Collection (referenced below), Boxes 1-01 to 1-02 & 1-41, as well as filings of the Secretary of State's Office, Legislature and Judiciary.


Series:
Governor Robert Barclay (1648-1690; served as East Jersey Governor, 1682-1690)
Record Book, 1664-1688
Control #:
S0004001
Format:
1 c.f. (1 vol., 5 maps, 5 photographs)
Arrangement:
By item number
Notes:
Include London minutes of the Proprietors of East Jersey, 1682-84. Maps were removed from bound volume prior to Archives' acquisition.
Restrictions:
Closed pending conservation; some sections available in facsimile.

Series:
Governor Edward Hyde, Lord Cornbury (1661-1723; served 1703-1708)
Pay Warrant Book, 1705-1708
Control #:
S0008001
Format:
0.25 c.f. (1 vol.)

Series:
Governor William Livingston (1723-1790; served 1776-1790)
Transcripts of Correspondence, 1775-1786
Control #:
S0100001
Format:
1.25 c.f. (3 boxes)
Arrangement:
Chronological
Notes:
Transcripts of material at the New York Public Library and/or published as "Correspondence of the Executive of New Jersey ..."

Series:
Governor Peter Dumont Vroom (1791-1873; served 1829-1832, 1833-1836)
Annual Messages to the Legislature, 1831 & 1835
Control #:
S0900001
Format:
0.02 c.f. (2 pamphlets)
Arrangement:
chronological

Series:
Governor George F. Fort (1809-1872; served 1851-1854)
Records, 1851-1852 & 1854
Control #:
S1700001
Format:
0.25 c.f. (1 box)

Series:
Governor Rodman McCamley Price (1816-1894; served 1854-1857)
Message to the Legislature, 1857
Control #:
S1800001
Format:
0.01 c.f. (1 pamphlet)
Notes:
Includes adjutant general's report on his review of European military systems and how New Jersey could improve its militia.

Series:
Governor Joel Parker (1816-1888), 1st term (1853-1866)
First Annual Message to the Legislature, 1864
Control #:
S2100001
Format:
0.01 c.f. (1 pamphlet)
Arrangement:
NA

Series:
Governor Marcus Lawrence Ward (1812-1884; served 1866-1869)
Correspondence Relating to the Quarantine Subject, 1867
Control #:
S2200001
Format:
0.1 c.f. (1 report)
Notes:
Published correspondence between Gov. Ward and Hon. W. A. Newell and General J. H. Martindale, 1866-1867.

Series:
Governor Marcus Lawrence Ward (1812-1884; served 1866-1869)
Annual Messages to the Legislature, 1867-1869
Control #:
S2200002
Format:
0.04 c.f. (4 pamphlets)
Arrangement:
chronological
Notes:
Includes 2 copies of the 1867 message.

Series:
Governor Theodore Fitz Randolph (1826-1883; served 1869-1872)
Message re: Enlargement of State Prison and Establishment of a House of Correction, 1869
Control #:
S2300001
Format:
0.1 c.f. (1 report)

Series:
Governor George Brinton McClellan (1826-1885; served 1878-1881)
Records, 1878-1880
Control #:
S2600001
Format:
0.75 c.f. (2 boxes)
Arrangement:
Chronological
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Governor George Craig Ludlow (1830-1900; served 1881-1884)
Records, 1881-1883
Control #:
S2700001
Format:
1.25 c.f. (3 boxes)
Arrangement:
Chronological
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Governor Leon Abbett (1836-1894), 1st Term (1884-1887)/ 2nd Term (1890-1893)
Press Letter Books, 1884-1892
Control #:
S2800001
Format:
0.5 c.f. (1 box)
Arrangement:
Chronological
Notes:
Includes three letters from Gov. Abbett's first term (dated 1884) and one book from his second term (dated 1890-1892).
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Governor Leon Abbett (1836-1894), 1st Term (1884-1887)
Records relating to the World's Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition in New Orleans, 1884-1885
Control #:
S2800002
Format:
0.5 c.f. (1 box, 1 large certificate)
Arrangement:
By month

Series:
Governor Leon Abbett (1836-1894), 1st Term (1884-1887)
Applications for Appointment as Notary Public, 1884-1886
Control #:
S2800003
Format:
0.5 c.f. (1 box)
Arrangement:
Envelopes numbered 101 through 500
Notes:
The last applications (from late-January and February 1886) are addressed to Governor Abbett, but date from Gov. Green's term.

Series:
Governor Robert S. Green (1831-1895; served 1887-1890)
Applications and Recommendations for Appointment, ca. 1887-1890
Control #:
S2900001
Format:
1.75 c.f. (4 boxes)
Notes:
Includes judges, prosecutors, deputy factory inspectors, riparian commissioners, and others.

Series:
Governor Leon Abbett (1836-1894), 2nd Term (1890-1893)
Applications and Recommendations of Commissioners of Deeds, 1890
Control #:
S3000001
Format:
0.5 c.f. (1 box)
Arrangement:
Chronological

Series:
Governor George Theodore Werts (1846-1910; served 1893-1896)
Correspondence, 1893-1896
Control #:
S3100001
Format:
1 c.f. (2 boxes)
Arrangement:
By year, then alpha. by correspondent
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Governor John William Griggs (1849-1927; served 1896-1898)
Correspondence, 1896-1898
Control #:
S3200001
Format:
0.5 c.f. (1 box)
Arrangement:
By year, then alpha. by correspondent
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Governor Foster McGowan Voorhees (1856-1927; served 1898-1902)
Correspondence and Thanksgiving Day Proclamation, 1898-1902
Control #:
S3300001
Format:
1.5 c.f. (3 boxes)
Arrangement:
By year, then alpha. by correspondent
Notes:
Includes correspondence of David O. Watkins, who served as acting governor during October 1898 - January 1899.
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Governor Franklin Murphy (1846-1920; served 1902-1905)
Correspondence, 1902-1905
Control #:
S3400001
Format:
6 c.f. (12 boxes)
Arrangement:
Numbered subject files/no order
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Governor Franklin Murphy (1846-1920; served 1902-1905)
First Annual Message to the Legislature, 1903
Control #:
S3400002
Format:
0.01 c.f. (1 pamphlet)
Arrangement:
NA

Series:
Governor Edward Caspar Stokes (1860-1942; served 1905-1908)
Correspondence, 1904-1908
Control #:
S3500001
Format:
12.5 c.f. (25 boxes)
Arrangement:
Numbered subject files/no order
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Governor Edward Caspar Stokes (1860-1942; served 1905-1908)
Speeches, 1897-1938
Control #:
S3500002
Format:
1 c.f. (2 boxes)
Arrangement:
Chronological
Notes:
Includes notebook, 1897-1912, and loose speeches, 1906-1938. Box nos. 26-27.
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Governor Edward Caspar Stokes (1860-1942; served 1905-1908)
Miscellaneous Records, 1882-1941
Control #:
S3500003
Format:
1 c.f. (2 boxes)
Arrangement:
Chronological
Notes:
Includes cards, leaflets, State Gazette editorial, photographs, news articles. Box nos. 28-29.
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Governor Edward Caspar Stokes (1860-1942; served 1905-1908)
Report of the Commissioners of Pilotage, 1905
Control #:
S3500004
Format:
0.1 c.f. (1 folder)

Series:
Governor Edward Caspar Stokes (1860-1942; served 1905-1908)
Messages, 1907-1908
Control #:
S3500005
Format:
0.03 c.f. (3 pamphlets)
Arrangement:
Chronological
Notes:
Includes 2nd Annual Message (1907), Message to the Legislature - Adjourned Session (1907) and 3rd Annual Message (1908).

Series:
Governor John Franklin Fort (1852-1920; served 1908-1911)
Correspondence, 1908-1912
Control #:
S3600001
Format:
1 c.f. (2 boxes)
Arrangement:
Chronological
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Governor Thomas Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924; served 1911-1913)
Correspondence, 1909-1914
Control #:
S3700001
Format:
4.25 c.f. (9 boxes); 1 reel (35-mm)
Arrangement:
Numbered in date order
Notes:
Undated correspondence is included at the end of the series. Only selected correspondence was filmed.
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Governor James Fairman Fielder (1867-1954; served 1914-1917)
Records, 1913-1916
Control #:
S3800001
Format:
0.5 c.f. (1 box)
Arrangement:
Chronological
Notes:
Includes correspondence from his service as acting governor for Woodrow Wilson, Feb.-Nov. 1913.
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Governor Walter Evans Edge (1873-1956), 1st Term (1917-1920)
Correspondence, 1917-1919
Control #:
S3900001
Format:
3 c.f. (6 boxes)
Arrangement:
Alpha. by county or subject
Notes:
William N. Runyon served as Acting Governor at the end of Edge's term, 1919-1920.
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Acting Governor William Nelson Runyon (1871-1931; served 1919-1920)
Correspondence, 1919-1920
Control #:
S3900002
Format:
0.5 c.f. (1 box)
Arrangement:
Alpha. by county or subject
Notes:
Served as Acting Governor at end of Walter E. Edge's term.
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Governor Edward Irving Edwards (1863-1931; served 1920-1923)
Correspondence, 1920-1922
Control #:
S4000001
Format:
5.5 c.f. (11 boxes, 1 map folder)
Arrangement:
Alpha. by county or subject
Notes:
Series includes a 1920 boundary map of Camp Dix in folder 152c.
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Governor Edward Irving Edwards (1863-1931; served 1920-1923)
Budget Message, 1924
Control #:
S4000002
Format:
0.03 c.f. (1 report)
Arrangement:
NA

Series:
Governor George Sebastian Silzer (1870-1940; served 1923-1926)
Correspondence, 1922-1926
Control #:
S4100001
Format:
20.5 c.f. (41 boxes)
Arrangement:
Alphabetical by subject
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Governor George Sebastian Silzer (1870-1940; served 1923-1926
Messages, 1923 & 1926
Control #:
S4100002
Format:
0.05 c.f. (3 messages)
Arrangement:
chronological
Notes:
Includes veto messages (1923), annual message (1926) and budget message (1926).

Series:
Governor Arthur Harry Moore (1879-1952; 1st term 1926-1929)
Correspondence, 1926-1929
Control #:
S4200001
Format:
13.5 c.f. (27 boxes)
Arrangement:
Alphabetical by subject
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Governor Arthur Harry Moore (1879-1952), 1st Term (1926-1929)
Second Annual Message to the Legislature, 1928
Control #:
S4200002
Format:
0.01 c.f. (1 pamphlet)

Series:
Governor Morgan Foster Larson (1882-1961; served 1929-1932)
Correspondence, 1929-1931
Control #:
S4300001
Format:
12.5 c.f. (25 boxes)
Arrangement:
Alphabetical by subject
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Governor Morgan Foster Larson (1882-1961; served 1929-1932)
Budget Messages, 1930-1931
Control #:
S4300002
Format:
0.2 c.f. (2 vols.)
Arrangement:
Chronological
Notes:
Messages cover the fiscal years of 1930-1931 and 1931-1932.

Series:
Governor Arthur Harry Moore (1879-1952), 2nd Term 1932-1935)
Correspondence, 1932-1935
Control #:
S4400001
Format:
22 c.f. (22 boxes)
Arrangement:
Bound into numbered volumes
Notes:
Includes "General Correspondence" and "Special Correspondence."

Series:
Governor Arthur Harry Moore (1879-1952), 2nd Term (1932-1935)
Messages, 1932-1934
Control #:
S4400002
Format:
0.25 c.f. (3 messages)
Arrangement:
By date
Notes:
Includes 1932 and 1934 budget messages and 1934 annual message.

Series:
Governor Harold Giles Hoffman (1896-1954; served 1935-1938)
Correspondence, 1932-1937
Control #:
S4500001
Format:
13 c.f. (13 boxes)
Arrangement:
By subject in numbered volumes
Notes:
Many volumes were missing at the time of accession.

Series:
Governor Harold Giles Hoffman (1896-1954; served 1935-1938)
Speeches, Press Releases, etc., 1934-1937
Control #:
S4500002
Format:
1.5 c.f. (2 boxes)
Arrangement:
Chronological
Notes:
Published 1936 budget message has been added to this series.

Series:
Governor Arthur Harry Moore (1879-1952), 3rd Term 1938-1941)
Correspondence, 1938-1941
Control #:
S4600001
Format:
42 c.f. (42 boxes)
Arrangement:
By subject in numbered volumes

Series:
Governor Arthur Harry Moore (1879-1952), 3rd Term 1938-1941)
New Jersey Conference on Health and Welfare: Records of the Committee at Large on Expansion of Public Health, 1938-1940
Control #:
S4600002
Format:
0.75 c.f. (2 boxes)
Arrangement:
By subject
Notes:
These were records kept by Dr. Robert P. Fischelis, member of the Committee at Large on Public Health Expansion.

Series:
Governor Arthur Harry Moore (1879-1952), 3rd Term (1938 -1941)
Delaware River Water Supply Project Aerial Photographs of Delaware & Raritan Canal and Proposed Pipeline Route, 1938
Control #:
S4600003
Format:
0.5 c.f. (99 photographs)
Arrangement:
By photograph number
Notes:
Includes three index views.
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Governor Arthur Harry Moore (1879-1952), 3rd Term (1938 -1941)
New Jersey National Safety Congress Committee Memorial Scrapbook, 1939
Control #:
S4600004
Format:
0.5 c.f. (1 vol.)
Notes:
Presented to Governor Moore following New Jersey's hosting of the 28th National Safety Congress.

Series:
Governor Arthur Harry Moore 3rd Term (1879-1952; served 1935-1938)
Messages, 1939-1940
Control #:
S4600005
Format:
0.06 c.f. (3 messages)
Arrangement:
chronological
Notes:
Includes 1st Annual Message (1939), 2nd Annual Message (1940), and Budget Message (1940).

Series:
Governor Charles Edison (1890-1969; served 1941-1944)
Correspondence, 1941-1944
Control #:
S4700001
Format:
61 c.f. (61 boxes)
Arrangement:
By subject in numbered volumes

Series:
Governor Walter Evans Edge (1873-1956), 2nd Term (1944-1947)
Correspondence, 1944-1947
Control #:
S4800001
Format:
39 c.f. (39 boxes)
Arrangement:
By subject in numbered volumes

Series:
Governor Walter Evans Edge (1873-1956), 2nd Term (1944-1947)
Scrapbooks, 1944
Control #:
S4800002
Format:
8 c.f. (4 large scrapbooks)
Arrangement:
Chronological

Series:
Governor Walter Evans Edge (1873-1956), 2nd Term (1944-1947)
Third Annual Message to the Legislature, 1947
Control #:
S4800003
Format:
0.01 c.f. (1 pamphlet)
Arrangement:
NA

Series:
Office of the Governor
Inauguration Records, 1881-1974
Control #:
S9900001
Format:
3.75 c.f. (8 boxes)

Series:
Office of the Governor
Press Release Log, 1941-1947
Control #:
S9900003
Format:
0.2 c.f. (1 vol.)
Arrangement:
By type of release, then date
Notes:
Includes releases from Governor Charles Edison (1941-1944) and Governor Walter E. Edge (1944-1947).

Series:
Office of the Governor
Card Indexes to Governors' Records, ca. 1917-ca. 1954
Control #:
S9900004
Format:
0.1 c.f. (1 vol., 1 portfolio); 9 reels (8 16-mm, 1 35-mm)
Notes:
Microfilmed card indexes to records of governors Moore, Edge, Edison and Driscoll; original cards were apparently destroyed.

Series:
Office of the Governor
Executive Department Accounts, 1923-1930
Control #:
S9900005
Format:
1.5 c.f. (3 boxes)

Series:
Office of the Governor
Counsel's Office
Extradition Records, 1935-1973
Control #:
S99CO002
Format:
53 c.f. (53 boxes)
Arrangement:
Alphabetical within record type
Notes:
Includes extraditions, renditions, requisitions and waivers.

Series:
Governor and Council of East New Jersey
Journals, 1674-1703
Control #:
SEA00001
Format:
0.5 c.f. (2 vols.); 1 reel (35-mm)
Arrangement:
Chronological
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Department of Education
New Jersey State Library
Bureau of Archives and History
Manuscript Collection, 1680s-1970s
Control #:
SEDSL006
Format:
41.25 c.f. (66 boxes and 9 map folders); 1 reel (35-mm)
Arrangement:
Chronological within record type
Notes:
Includes early records for: governors, legislature, courts, Hunterdon County, local elections, Revolutionary War, etc.
Finding Aid:
Click here!

Series:
Department of State
Secretary of State's Office
Governors' Proclamations, 1852-2000
Control #:
SSTSE046
Format:
5 c.f. (10 boxes)
Arrangement:
Chronological
Notes:
There are no proclamations in this series for December 1896 - June 1965 and 1966 - March 1995; see the Miscellaneous Filings series.


Related records:


Series:
New Jersey State Agricultural Society
Draft of Report to Governor [incomplete], 1856-1857
Control #:
PAGRI001
Format:
0.1 c.f. (1 folder)
Arrangement:
Local society statements are by county
Notes:
Includes statements of local agricultural societies on their organization and progress, November 1856 - January 1857.

Series:
Department of Defense
Adjutant General's Office (Civil War)
Governors' Proclamations, 1861-1865
Control #:
SDEA4046
Format:
0.1 c.f. (1 folder)
Arrangement:
By governor, then chronological
Notes:
Includes 3 proclamations of Gov. Charles S. Olden and 19 proclamations of Gov. Joel Parker.
Restrictions:
Special permission must be granted to use these records

Series:
Governor's War Cabinet
Minutes, 1942-1944
Control #:
SZWAA001
Format:
0.5 c.f. (1 box); 1 reel (35-mm)
Arrangement:
Chronological
Notes:
Created by legislation during World War II; spans administrations of Governors Edison and Edge [3 March 1942 - 3 May 1944].


~ The collections listed on this page represent 388.53 c.f. of paper records and 13 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 02/26/2007