| Record Group: | Department of State |
| Subgroup: | Secretary of State's Office |
| Series: | Commission and Appointment Certificates, 1744-1915 |
| Accession #: | 1964.001, 1974.001, 1984.055 and unknown |
| Series #: | SSTSE001 |
| Guide Date: | 4/1995 (JK) |
| Volume: | 2.0 c.f. [3 boxes] |
Box 1 | Box 2 | Box 3
Content
Note |
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| This series includes original certificates of commission and appointment to civil offices by kings George II and George III, and the state governors from 1776 to 1915. During the colonial period, the commissions were recorded by the Provincial Secretary of New Jersey; after statehood, they were recorded by the Secretary of State. While most of the documents in this series relate to county-level appointments (e.g. justices of the peace, judges of the courts of common pleas, grand jurors, coroners, and commissioners of deeds), a number of state-level appointments are also included. Researchers should note that commissions and appointments can also be found in several other record series, as follows:
The places referred to in the contents list below are in New Jersey unless otherwise indicated. Several documents in this series were previously filed in the series "AM Papers" (autographed manuscripts); in such cases, "AM" document numbers have been provided in brackets. Archives accession numbers have also been noted for several items. The series is arranged chronologically. |
| By King George II: | |
| 1. | John Hamilton, John Reading, James Alexander, John Rodman, Richard Smith, Robert Hunter Morris, Archibald Home, Edward Antill, Joseph Warrell, David Demarest, Hendrick Van de Linde, Cornelius Wynkoop, John Schuyler, Archibald Kennedy, Roeloff Van Houten, Dirck Kuyper, David Provoost, William Kingsland, George Reyerson Jr., Jacobus Bartolff, Peter Marselius, Johannes Post, Reyck Leydecker, John Berry, Gerrit Halenbeck, Peter Post, John Berdan Jr., Hendrick Laroue, Hendrick Kipp, Jacobus Peak, Michiel Cornelius Vreelandt, Johannes Reyerson, Samuel Laroue, Abraham Van Buskirk, Roeloff Juriaans Westerveldt, Abraham Ackerman Jr., and Timothy Ward, Justices of the Peace for Bergen County, Kingsbury, 28 March 1744. |
| 2. | William Morris, Andrew Smith, Martain Reyerson, and Theophilus Philipse (Justices of the Peace), Grand Jurors for Hunterdon County, Elizabeth, 15 April 1752. |
| 3. | John Halsted, Master in the High Court of Chancery, Elizabeth Town, 5 October 1752 [accession #1974.001]. |
| 4. | William Morris, Andrew Smith, Martain Ryerson, Theophilus Phillips, and William Clayton (Justices of the Peace), Grand Jurors for Hunterdon County, Elizabeth Town, 23 April 1753. |
| 5. | Gloucester County Court of General Quarter Sessions of the Peace, ordained and appointed to sit regularly in April, September, and December, at the Town of Gloucester, Elizabeth, 4 March 1755. |
| 6. | William Morris, Martin Ryerson, Theophilus Philips, John Garretson, and William Clayton (Justices of the Peace), Grand Jurors for Hunterdon County, Elizabeth, 9 May 1755. |
| 7. | William Morris, Martin Ryerson, John Garretson, Andrew Reed, and William Clayton (Justices of the Peace), Grand Jurors for Hunterdon County, Elizabeth Town, 7 May 1756. |
| 8. | Ebenezer Miller, John Remmington, David Ogden, Ephraim Seley, and Alexander Moore (Justices of the Peace), Grand Jurors for Cumberland County, Perth Amboy, 10 May 1760. |
| 9. | William Hancock, Isaac Sharp, Rynier Vanhist, Elisha Bassett, and Edmund Wetherby (Justices of the Peace), Grand Jurors for Salem County, Perth Amboy, 10 May 1760. |
| 10. | Jacob Ford, Joseph Tuttle, Robert Goble, Daniel Cooper, and Robert Gould (Justices of the Peace), Grand Jurors for Morris County, Perth Amboy, 15 September 1760. |
By King George III: |
|
| 11. | Robert Ogden, Clerk and Prothonotary, Essex County Court of Common Pleas, and Recorder for the Borough of Elizabeth, Perth Amboy, 24 December 1761 [2 items; accession #1974.001]. |
| -- | William Franklin, Captain General and Governor in Chief of the Province of New Jersey, Westminster, England, 9 September 1762 [conserved and in custom box in vault]. |
| 12. | Peter Kemble, David Ogden, Lewis Morris Ashfield, Samuel Woodruff, William Earl of Stirling, Charles Read, John Smith, John Stevens, John Ladd, Samuel Smith, James Parker, Frederick Smyth, Joseph Reed, Cortland Skinner, James Nielson, Stephen Skinner, John Smyth, and John Mackay, granted the authority to administer oaths of civil and military officers, Perth Amboy, 30 April 1768. |
By Gov. William Livingston: |
|
| 13. | Elijah Hughes, Surrogate of the Prerogative or Ordinary's Court, Princeton, 5 September 1776. |
| 14. | Abraham Westervelt, Clerk, Bergen County Court of Common Pleas and General Quarter Sessions, Trenton, 21 December 1784. |
| 15. | William Abbot, Justice of the Peace for Hunterdon County, Burlington, 5 June 1787. |
By Gov. William Paterson: |
|
| 16. | Garret Lydecker, Justice of the Peace for Bergen County, Burlington, 23 November 1790. |
| 17. | Jacob Wright, Justice of the Peace for Salem County, Trenton, 23 May 1792. |
| 18. | Peter I. Striker, Justice of the Peace for Somerset County, Trenton, 30 November 1792. |
By Gov. Richard Howell (and Thomas Henderson, Vice President): |
|
| 19. | Joseph Scudder, Clerk, Monmouth County Court of Common Pleas and General Quarter Sessions, Trenton, 5 June 1793. |
| 20. | Philip Creese, Justice of the Peace for Cape May County, Trenton, 26 November 1794. |
| 21. | Constant Somers, Justice of the Peace for Gloucester County, Trenton, 23 February 1795. |
| 22. | Joseph Champion, Justice of the Peace for Gloucester County, Trenton, 3 November 1795. |
| 23. | James Logan, Clerk, Salem County Court of Common Pleas and General Quarter Sessions, Trenton, 23 November 1795. |
| 24. | Joseph Lewis, Justice of the Peace for Morris County, Trenton, 16 March 1796 [2268 AM]. |
| 25. | Eleazer Mayhew, Justice of the Peace for Salem County, Trenton, 16 March 1796 [2251 AM]. |
| 26. | Amos Woodruff, Justice of the Peace for Cumberland County, Trenton, 16 March 1796 [2253 AM]. |
| By Gov. Richard Howell [cont’d]: | |
| 1. | Joseph McIlvane, Clerk, Burlington County Court of Common Pleas and General Quarter Sessions, Trenton, 4 November 1796. |
| 2. | Elijah Townsend, Justice of the Peace for Cape May County, Trenton, 28 January 1797. |
| 3. | Benjamin Van Cleve, Justice of the Peace for Hunterdon County, Trenton, 28 January 1797. |
| 4. | Thomas Adams, Judge, Burlington County Court of Common Pleas, Trenton, 3 March 1797. |
| 5. | Christopher Ludlam, Judge, Cape May County Court of Common Pleas, Trenton, 3 March 1797 [2269 AM]. |
| 6. | Henry Southard, Justice of the Peace for Somerset County, Trenton, 8 November 1797 [2281 AM]. |
| 7. | Jeremiah Wood, Justice of the Peace for Gloucester County, Trenton, 10 March 1798 [2271 AM]. |
| 8. | John Lacey, Justice of the Peace for Burlington County, Trenton, 1 November 1798. |
| 9. | John E. Spencer, Alderman of the City of Trenton, Trenton, 1 November 1798 [2270 AM]. |
| 10. | Cresse Townsend, Justice of the Peace for Cape May County, Trenton, 1 November 1798. |
| 11. | John T. Blackwell, Justice of the Peace for Hunterdon County, Trenton, 14 February 1799. |
| 12. | Thompson Stelle, Judge, Middlesex County Court of Common Pleas, Trenton, 29 October 1799. |
| 13. | Nicholas Dubois, Justice of the Peace for Somerset County and Judge, Somerset County Court of Common Pleas, Trenton, 30 October 1799 [2 items; 2278 AM]. |
| 14. | Robert Stockton, Justice of the Peace for Somerset County, Trenton, 12 November 1800. |
| 15. | Jonathan Hildreth, Justice of the Peace for Salem County, Trenton, 26 February 1801 [2274 AM]. |
| 16. | Christopher Smith, Justice of the Peace for Cape May County, Trenton, 26 February 1801. |
By Gov. Joseph Bloomfield: |
|
| 17. | Caleb Shreve, Judge, Burlington County Court of Common Pleas, Trenton, 23 November 1801. |
| 18. | John Chance, Justice of the Peace for Cumberland County, Trenton, 24 November 1801. |
| 19. | Jeremiah Manning, Judge, Middlesex County Court of Common Pleas, Trenton, 24 November 1801. |
| 20. | John Mayhew, Justice of the Peace for Salem County, Trenton, 24 November 1801 [2276 AM]. |
| 21. | Levi Rosencrantz, Justice of the Peace for Sussex County, Trenton, 24 November 1801. |
| 22. | James Saltar, State Treasurer, Trenton, 25 November 1802 [signature removed]. |
| 23. | Elias Vreelandt, Coroner of Essex County, Trenton, 1 November 1803. |
| 24. | George Garrison, Justice of the Peace for Hunterdon County, Trenton, 29 November 1804. |
| 25. | Joseph Broadhurst, Inspector of the State Prison, Trenton, 25 November 1809. |
By Gov. Aaron Ogden: |
|
| 26. | Gershom Lambert and Jacob Runkle, Justices of the Peace for Hunterdon County, Trenton, 6 November 1812 [2 items]. |
| 27. | Joseph Reading, Justice of the Peace for Hunterdon County, Trenton, 19 February 1813. |
By Gov. Isaac H. Williamson: |
|
| 28. | Jacob G. Smith, Judge, Cape May County Court of Common Pleas, Trenton, 10 February 1817. |
| 29. | Joseph Earle, Justice of the Peace for Burlington County, Trenton, 6 November 1817. |
| 30. | George Gano, Justice of the Peace for Hunterdon County, Trenton, 11 February 1818. |
| 31. | Samuel Kille, Commissioner of Deeds for Gloucester County, Trenton, 11 February 1818. |
| 32. | Michael C. Fisher, Justice of the Peace for Gloucester County, Trenton, 17 February 1819. |
| 33. | Elnathan Moore and Jonas Lake, Coroners of Hunterdon County, Trenton, 26 October 1822 [2 items]. |
| 34. | Jacob Housel, Justice of the Peace for Hunterdon County, Trenton, 29 November 1822. |
| 35. | Thomas Kinney, Surrogate of Essex County, Trenton, 31 October 1823 [in Box 3 Oversized]. |
| 36. | Abraham Reynolds, High Sheriff of Essex County, Trenton, 31 October 1823. |
| 37. | John Dodd, Judge, Essex County Court of Common Pleas, Trenton, 1 November 1823. |
| 38. | Philip Alpaugh, Justice of the Peace for Hunterdon County, Trenton, 3 November 1823. |
| 39. | John Dodd, Justice of the Peace for Essex County, Trenton, 3 November 1823. |
| 40. | Philip Van Bussum, Coroner of Essex County, Trenton, 3 December 1823. |
| 41. | Asher Reading, Coroner of Hunterdon County, Trenton, 29 October 1824. |
| 42. | William Arrison, Commissioner of Deeds for Hunterdon County, Trenton, 21 December 1824. |
| 43. | Hedge Thomson, Justice of the Peace for Salem County, Trenton, 21 December 1824. |
| 44. | Moses Quick, Asher Reading, and James Taylor, Coroners of Hunterdon County, Trenton, 28 October 1825 [3 items]. |
| 45. | John Welling, Commissioner of Deeds for Hunterdon County, Trenton, 28 October 1825. |
| 46. | John McInstry, Justice of the Peace for Hunterdon County, Trenton, 1 November 1826. |
| 47. | Asher Reading, George Rittenhouse, and James Taylor, Coroners of Hunterdon County, Trenton, 3 November 1826 [3 items]. |
| 48. | Caleb Halsey, Justice of the Peace for Essex County, Trenton, 10 November 1826. |
| 49. | Jonathan Woodruff, Commissioner of Deeds for Essex County, Trenton, 10 November 1826. |
| 50. | Jabez Cook and Nicholas Smith, Coroners for Essex County, Trenton, 30 October 1829 [2 items]. |
By Gov. Peter D. Vroom Jr.: |
|
| 51. | John Allen, Justice of the Peace for Essex County, Trenton, 7 November 1829. |
| 52. | Timothy C. Ward, Commissioner of Deeds for Essex County, Trenton, 7 November 1829. |
| 53. | Jacob K. Mead and Samuel Van Taun, Judges, Essex County Court of Common Pleas, Trenton, 26 February 1830 [2 items]. |
| 54. | Stacy Lloyd, Commissioner of Deeds for Salem County, Trenton, 29 October 1830. |
| 55. | Samuel McAfee, Coroner of Sussex County, Trenton, 28 October 1831. |
| 56. | Joseph Linn, Judge, Sussex County Court of Common Pleas, Trenton, 14 March 1832. |
| 57. | Samuel McAfee, Coroner of Sussex County, Trenton, 25 October 1832. |
By Gov. Samuel Southard: |
|
| 58. | Benjamin Halsey and Nathan A. Shaver, Justices of the Peace for Sussex County, Trenton, 24 January 1833 [2 items]. |
By Gov. Elias P. Seeley: |
|
| 59. | Stephen R. Grover, Justice of the Peace for Essex County, Trenton, 27 February 1833. |
| 60. | Matthew Westfall, Coroner of Sussex County, Trenton, 21 October 1833. |
| 61. | John Layton, Justice of the Peace for Sussex County, Trenton, 25 October 1833. |
By Gov. Peter D. Vroom Jr.: |
|
| 62. | John Lawry, Mayor of Princeton, Trenton, 24 January 1834. |
| 63. | Simeon Cole, Coroner of Sussex County, Trenton, 22 October 1835. |
| 64. | Jacob Hornbeck (of Sandyston), Commissioner of Deeds for Sussex County, Trenton, 30 October 1835. |
| 65. | Joseph E. Edsall, Clerk, Sussex County Court of Common Pleas, Trenton, 13 February 1836. |
| 66. | Elijah Everet (of Green Township), Commissioner of Deeds for Sussex County, Trenton, 13 February 1836. |
| 67. | Peter Northrup, Justice of the Peace for Sussex County, Trenton, 10 March 1836. |
By Gov. Philemon Dickerson: |
|
| 68. | William Campbell and Bowdawine Vananken, Coroners of Sussex County, Trenton, 8 November 1836 [2 items]. |
| 69. | Jesse Bell, John Edsall, and William Campbell, Coroners of Sussex County, Trenton, 25 October 1837 [3 items]. |
By Gov. William Pennington: |
|
| 70. | William Cole (of Wantage), Commissioner of Deeds for Sussex County, Trenton, 31 October 1837. |
| 71. | Samuel S. White, Justice of the Peace for Sussex County, Trenton, 31 October 1837. |
| 72. | John Bell and Henry McDanolds, Justices of the Peace for Sussex County, Trenton, 19 January 1838 [2 items]. |
| 73. | Ephraim G. Coursen (of Wantage), Commissioner of Deeds for Sussex County, Trenton, 19 January 1838. |
| 74. | John Layton, Justice of the Peace for Sussex County, Trenton, 26 October 1838. |
| 75. | Isaac H. Williamson Jr., Prosecutor of the Pleas of the Borough of Elizabeth, Trenton, 27 February 1840. |
By Gov. Daniel Haines: |
|
| 76. | William A. Soder, Justice of the Peace for Hunterdon County, Trenton, 13 March 1844. |
By Gov. Charles C. Stratton: |
|
| 77. | William Tucker, Coroner of the Borough of Elizabeth, Trenton, 25 April 1845. |
| 78. | Caleb S. Crane, Apollos M. Elmer, John Ely, Calvin Lathrop, John Littell, Thomas McKirgan, Jonathan Miller, Aaron Nichols, William Pearce, Isaac H. Pierson, Edward Sanderson, James Searing, and Jonathan Valentine, Justices of the Peace for Essex County, Trenton, 1 May 1845 [13 items]. |
| 79. | Henry H. Wolcott, Justice of the Peace for Millstone Township, Monmouth County, Trenton, 1 May 1846. |
| 80. | Robert I. Bolmer and Thomas S. Whitenack, Coroners of Somerset County, Trenton, 7 November 1846 [2 items]. |
| 81. | Peter T. Tunison, Judge, Somerset County Court of Common Pleas, Trenton, 1 April 1847. |
| 82. | Elnathan Moore, Justice of the Peace for Franklin Township, Somerset County, Trenton, 1 May 1847. |
| 83. | Henry C. Van Pelt, Coroner of Somerset County, Trenton, 8 November 1847. |
By Gov. Daniel Haines: |
|
| 84. | John B. Stout and Philip P. Vanarsdale, Coroners of Somerset County, Trenton, 15 November 1848 [2 items]. |
| 85. | Philip P. Vanarsdale, Coroner of Somerset County, Trenton, 14 November 1849. |
| 86. | Abraham Quick, William Sebring, and John Vroom, Commissioners of Deeds for Somerset County, Trenton, 6 March 1850 [3 items]. |
| 87. | James I. Garretson, Justice of the Peace for Franklin Township, Somerset County, Trenton, 1 May 1850. |
| By Gov. George F. Fort: | |
| 1. | Anthony Powelson, Coroner of Somerset County, Trenton, 12 November 1851. |
| 2. | Tunis C. Schamp and Isaac W. Van Doren, Coroners for Somerset County, Trenton, 10 November 1852 [2 items]. |
| 3. | Dennis G. Wyckoff, Coroner of Somerset County, Trenton, 16 November 1853. |
By Gov. Rodman M. Price: |
|
| 4. | Reuben H. Hulick, Justice of the Peace for Hillsborough Township, Somerset County, Trenton, 1 May 1855. |
| 5. | Samuel Brown, Coroner of Somerset County, Trenton, 14 November 1855. |
| 6. | Jonathan Elbertson, Coroner of Somerset County, Trenton, 14 November 1855. |
| 7. | Andrew Ten Eyck Jr., Commissioner of Deeds for Somerset County, Trenton, 8 February 1856. |
| 8. | Jonathan Elbertson, Coroner of Somerset County, Trenton, 12 November 1856. |
| 9. | Garret Durling, Coroner of Somerset County, Trenton, 12 November 1856. |
By Gov. William A. Newell: |
|
| 10. | Levi H. Rogers, Commissioner of Deeds for Burlington County, Trenton, 19 February 1857 [includes biographical notes]. |
| 11. | Jonathan Pickel, Inspector of the State Prison, Trenton, 31 March 1858 [accession #1964.001]. |
By Gov. Charles S. Olden: |
|
| 12. | Charles Partridge, Commissioner of Deeds for Hudson County, Trenton, 15 March 1860. |
| 13. | Jonathan Pickel, Inspector of the State Prison, Trenton, 15 March 1860 [accession #1964.001]. |
| 14. | Albanus Runyon, Attorney at Law and Solicitor in Chancery, Trenton, 28 February 1861. |
| 15. | John B. Creed, Coroner of Hunterdon County, Trenton, 12 November 1862. |
| 16. | Samuel Johnson, Coroner of Hunterdon County, Trenton, 12 November 1862. |
| 17. | Jacob Kline, Coroner of Hunterdon County, Trenton, 12 November 1862. |
By Gov. Joel Parker: |
|
| 18. | Michael Freck, Commissioner of Deeds for Hunterdon County, Trenton, 11 March 1863. |
| 19. | Joseph R. Wert, Commissioner of Deeds for Hunterdon County, Trenton, 11 March 1863. |
| 20. | Peter R. Williamson, Commissioner of Deeds for Hunterdon County, Trenton, 11 March 1863. |
| 21. | Samuel Johnson, Coroner of Hunterdon County, Trenton, 11 November 1863. |
| 22. | George Rowland, Coroner of Hunterdon County, Trenton, 11 November 1863. |
| 23. | John S. Drake, Commissioner of Deeds for Hunterdon County, Trenton, 17 March 1864. |
| 24. | William J. Iliff, Commissioner of Deeds for Hunterdon County, Trenton, 17 March 1864. |
| 25. | Hiram B. Rittenhouse, Commissioner of Deeds for Hunterdon County, Trenton, 17 March 1864. |
| 26. | Stephen Beach, Justice of the Peace for Somerset County, Trenton, 1 May 1865. |
By Gov. Marcus L. Ward: |
|
| 27. | Jonathan Pickel, Inspector of the State Prison, Trenton, 17 March 1868 [accession #1964.001]. |
By Gov. Robert S. Green: |
|
| 28. | Morris H. Labar, Justice of the Peace for Mansfield Township, Warren County, Trenton, 1 May 1888. |
By Gov. Foster M. Voorhees: |
|
| 29. | Morris H. Labar, Justice of the Peace for Mansfield Township, Warren County, Trenton, 1 May 1898. |
| 30. | David A. Depue, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New Jersey, Trenton, 22 January 1901. |
By Gov. John Franklin Fort: |
|
| 31. | John L. Slack, Justice of the Peace for the Borough of Frenchtown, Hunterdon County, Trenton, 1 May 1909. |
By Gov. James F. Fielder: |
|
| 32. | John P. Dullard, Member of the Public Library Commission, Trenton, 17 February 1914. |
| 33. | John P. Dullard, Member of the Public Library Commission, Trenton, 31 March 1915. |
| Created
June 2006 |
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