Somerset County was created on 14 May 1688 and was formed from Middlesex County, in the Province of East Jersey. Part of Montgomery Twp. was added to Mercer County (as Princeton Twp./Bor.) in 1838. The County was named for the English county of Somerset The County Seat is Somerville. See also County History for more historical details.
Somerset County Boroughs Include Bernardsville, Bound Brook, Far Hills, Manville, Millstone, North Plainfield, Peapack-Gladstone, Raritan, Rocky Hill, Somerville, South Bound Brook, Watchung. Townships Include Bedminster, Bernards, Branchburg, Bridgewater, Franklin, Green Brook, Hillsborough, Montgomery, Warren. Communities Include Basking Ridge, Belle Mead, Blackwells Mills, Blawenburg, East Millstone, Flagtown, Griggstown, Harlingen, Lamington, Martinsville, Middlebush, Neshanic, North Branch, Pleasant Plains, Six Mile Run, Somerset, South Branch, Zarephath.
PLEASE READ!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information. Courthouse burned in 1799
All Departments below are in the Somerset County Courthouse, North Bridge Street, Somerville, NJ 08876-1262; (908) 231-7191, unless otherwise noted below. The Official County website is located at http://www.co.somerset.nj.us/. NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time.
Somerset County Clerk has Land Records & Marriage Records from 1765/1786 and is located at the address above. Phone Number: 908-231-7006,
Fax: 908-253-8853. [ County clerks were required by law to file copies of deeds beginning in 1785 and mortgages beginning in 1766.] 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.
Somerset County Surrogate Court / Orphan's Court has Probate Records from 1794/1804 and is located at the courthouse. Phone Number: 908-231-7005. [ Recording of wills and estate inventories at the county level began in 1804. Orphans Courts were established in 1785.] By virtue of laws enacted since 1844, the responsibilities of the County Surrogate have been expanded. The County Surrogate now has two major functions:
As Judge and Clerk of the County Surrogate's Court, the Surrogate is responsible for settling the estate of every county resident who dies individually owning any assets in New Jersey--whether or not that resident dies leaving a will. Therefore, the Surrogate reviews and probates wills and appoints Executors, Administrators and guardians of minors. In addition, the Surrogate administers and invests monies (now more than $30 million in Bergen County) primarily for minor children who receive judgments in the courts in Bergen County; and
As Deputy Clerk of the Superior Court, Chancery Division, Probate Part, the Surrogate dockets, reviews and schedules all actions pertaining to will contests, estate matters, accountings, mental incompetencies, guardianships of incompetents and all adoptions occurring in Bergen County. In addition, all documents involved in all County Surrogate Court matters are recorded, stored and maintained by the County Surrogate's Court.
Below is a list of online resources for Somerset County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Somerset County Court Records by clicking the link below:
New Jersey Immigration & Emigration Records - Immigration records help the family historian to understand the movements of their ancestry as they relocated to different parts of the world.
Click Here to Search New Jersey Birth, Marriage & Death Records! - Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information. Look also for baptism, christening, and burial records in this collection.
New Jersey State Department of Health and Senior Services, State Registrar Search Unit, PO Box 370, Trenton, NJ 08625-0370; (609) 292-4087, Fax: (609) 392-4292. It can take up to 4 months to get a vital record from New Jersey.
Vital records from May 1848 - May 1878 may be obtained from the State Archives. The Archives also holds microfilm copies of births from 1878-1923, marriages from 1879-1940 and deaths from 1878-1940. These materials are available for in-person use only.
Birth, Marriage & Death Certificates:
Cost: Initial search and one certified copy or certification of the record or No Record Statement is $25.00 per certificate.
Additional copies of the same record ordered at the same time are $2 are per copy
Additional years searched (genealogy records only) are $1 per year.
Make Check or Money Order payable to Treasurer, State of New Jersey. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $25.00 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
Dates: from 1878 to the present
Processing Time: 14-16 weeks when ordered by MAIL or 2-5 Days when you order ELECTRONICALLY
Divorce Certificates: Divorce records for 1900-1989 are kept by the Records Information Center of the State Superior Court. For records after 1989 contact the NJ County Court that issued the divorce decree.New Jersey divorce decrees are available through the Superior Court of New Jersey Records Center. For more information on obtaining a certified copy of a divorce decree, call the Records Center at: 609-777-0092
Cost: Include a fee of $10.00 per 10 year search per last name with request. Make check or money order payable to Clerk of the Superior Court.
Superior Court of NJ, Public Information Ctr, 171 Jersey Street, CN 967, Trenton, NJ 08625-0967
Order Online: You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering below
Below is a list of online resources for Somerset County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Somerset County Vital Records by clicking the link below:
Search the Social Security Death Index for FREE - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical New Jersey newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
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.
Below is a list of online resources for Somerset County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Somerset County Census Records by clicking the link below:
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.
Genealogy Atlas has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for Ohio and other states.
You can view rotating animated maps for New Jersey showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps
You can view rotating animated maps for New Jersey showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries.
Below is a list of online resources for Somerset County Maps. Email us with websites containing Somerset County Maps by clicking the link below:
Click Here to Search New Jersey Military Records! - Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.
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. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.
Below is a list of online resources for Somerset County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Somerset County Military Records by clicking the link below:
New Jersey Pensioners, 1835: This database identifies thousands of New Jersey soldiers who were covered under various pension acts in the early 1800s.
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.
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.
Because New Jersey's pre-1830 federal censuses have not survived, tax records are quite an important substitute for placing persons and families prior to that time. Tax lists arranged by township are available for 1773-1822. The originals, at the New Jersey State Archives, show heads of households, landowners, and single adult males, with information about their property that was taxable, including land, horses, cattle, slaves, and mills. Only about half of the 1773-4 lists are extant, and for some places, such as Sussex County, coverage is very slight. Microfilms of these records are at the state archives, the New Jersey Historical Society, Rutgers University, and the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society. The 1784 tax lists for thirty-eight municipalities (predominantly in southern New Jersey) are the only ones to indicate the size of a household, with a column for number of whites and a column for number of slaves.
Later tax records are found in the counties starting about 1869-70. Tax lists for some extinct New Jersey municipalities are at the state archives.
Below is a list of online resources for Somerset County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Somerset County Tax Records by clicking the link below:
The Repositories
in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical
and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical
Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly,
quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies
should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are
usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived
materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be
more generalized and over look the smaller details that local
societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to
look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy
section and may have some resources that are not located at
archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums
in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years
gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All
these places are vitally important to the family genealogist
and must not be passed over.
Below is a list of online resources for Somerset County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Somerset County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:
Department of State Division of Archives and Records Management
Bureau of Archives and Records Preservation State Library Bldg, 185 West State Street, CN-307, Trenton, NJ 08625-0307 The New Jersey State Archives has many of the basic research materials for the state, such as federal and state census records; probate, land, and court records; newspapers; and vital records.
New Jersey State Library, State Library Building, 185 West State Street, CN-520, Trenton, NJ 08625-0520
Genealogical Society of New Jersey,
PO Box 1476, Trenton NJ 08607-1476
The Genealogical Society of New Jersey has published The Genealogical Magazine of New Jersey since 1925. The society houses its collection of genealogical materials, including cemetery transcriptions, family Bibles (over 4,800), military records, notes of genealogists, and so forth, in the A. S. Alexander Library at Rutgers University.
New Jersey Newspapers & Periodicals Records - Newspapers and periodicals are the diaries of local communities. They are excellent sources of family history details - often recorded nowhere else. Look for obituaries, marriages, legal notices, and more found in our Historical Newspaper Archives.
Click Here to Search New Jersey Obituary Records! - This database is a compilation of obituaries published in U.S. newspapers, collected from various online sources. Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.
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.
Below is a list of online resources for Somerset County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Somerset County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:
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 Indiana.
Click Here to Search New Jersey Family Tree Records! - The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.
When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Somerset County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Somerset County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:
Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
New Jersey Family & Local History Records - The Family & Local Histories Collection lets you read journals, memoirs, and other first-hand historical narratives right on your computer. Gathered from some of the world's finest libraries, these materials may provide hard-to-find town, county, and state information; tax records and wills; military, church, and court records; as well as photographs, stories, and maps.
Somerset County is one of America's oldest counties. The area was first settled in 1681, in the vicinity of Bound Brook, and the county was established by charter on May 22, 1688. Most of the early residents were Dutch. General George Washington and his troops marched through the county on several occasions and slept in many of the homes located throughout the area. Parts of the Delaware and Raritan Canal run through the county. Somerset County also played an important part during both World War I and World War II with weapons depots and the manufacturing of the army's woolen blankets.
Somerset County contains some of the oldest settlements in New Jersey, some dating to the middle of the 17th century. The county also has a long tradition of preservation and restoration; an ongoing celebration of the American past. Revolutionary War Sites
Rockingham -
Rockingham was the headquarters of General Washington in 1783 while he attended sessions of the Continental Congress, which was then meeting a few miles south in Princeton, just prior to the signing of the peace treaty with Great Britain to end the Revoltionary War. His wife and his staff accompanied him, along with troops, who camped on the lawn. While at Rockingham, Mr. and Mrs. Washington hosted such notable guests as Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Paine, Thomas Jefferson, Elias P. Boudinot and New Jersey Governor Lewis Morris. Washington wrote the "Farewell Address to the Armies" here on November 2, 1783.
Administered by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Parks and Forestry, Rockingham sits not at its original site. The building was moved, restored and grounds were designed with funds raised by interested citizens during the 1890s. It was first opened to the public in 1897, but when quarry blasting threatened it again in the 1950s, the house was moved a little farther uphill away from the Millstone River, and extensive repairs were completed. The restored Rockingham was reopened for the public on December 6, 1963. In 2001 the site was relocated for a third time and reopened in 2004.
Laurel Ave.,Franklin; 609/683-7132
Wallace House & Old Dutch Parsonage -
The older of these two homes is the Old Dutch Parsonage. This house was constructed in 1751 but was destined for the wrecking crew in 1913. By that time it was owned by the Central Railroad of NJ and was moved from "across the tracks" to sit near the second home, The Wallace house, built in 1775. The two houses were in varying stages of use and disuse until the mid-1940s when they were given to the State of NJ. Today they are administered through the Division of Parks and Forestry.
The Old Dutch Parsonage was built using the pooled funds from three Dutch Reformed Churches in the Raritan Valley. It was first occupied by the Reverend John Frelinghuysen -- a name still recognized in New Jersey as one of the oldest family names noted for public service throughout the state. After Reverend Frelinghuysen died in 1754, the house was occupied by his widow, Dinah, and their two children, plus several young men being tutored in preparation for Seminary in Holland. One of these young tutors, Jacob Hardenburgh, played an important part in the American Revolution serving in the Provincial Congress. He helped to ease tensions between the American army and local inhabitants during the Middlebrook Encampment.
In 1775, Philadelphia merchant John Wallace purchased land and a small house from the, by then, minister Hardenburgh, adding eight large rooms to make this his retirement home. But when housing/headquarters were being sought for Commander George Washington for the winter of 1778-79, Wallace's home was secured. Later, Martha Washington, aides and servants would come to live in this home during the second Middlebrook Encampment. The Wallace Family was finally able to move into their "new" home having been paid $1000 by Washington for the four months of use. Eventually, Ann, John Wallace's daughter, would marry John Hardenburgh, the son of the Dutch Reformed Minister!
Middlebrook Encampment -
The Washington Campground Association and Somerset County own portions of the Campground, scene of two Revolutionary War encampments
Washington Rock State Park -
This observation post was used by General Washington during the Middlebrook Encampment and during the Battle of Short Hills in June, 1777.
Lord Stirling Manor Site -
Lord Stirling, a Brigadier General in the Continental Army, moved to his recently completed country manor at Basking Ridge in 1768, where he raised flax, apples and bred horses. There was a three-story brick dwelling, stables, a coach house and other outbuildings. Only two small brick outbuildings, dating from the early 19th century, remain. Archeological investigations are currently taking place on the site, and plans are underway to restore the outbuildings. The site hosts an annual 1770s festival in October.
Van Horne House -
The present Van Horne House probably dates back to the late 18th century and was extensively remodeled in the middle decades of the 19th and 20th centuries. The 1930s and 1940s remodeling was in the Colonial Revival style and is especially significant. It was the site of numerous important events during the Revolutionary War including a portion of the fighting during the Battle of Bound Brook, when British troops captured three American cannons on the front lawn. It was used at various times by Generals Lincoln, Stirling, Lee and Cornwallis. Currently under restoration , the house is owned by the Heritage Trail Association and is now listed in the NJ State Register of Historic Sites.
Van Veghten House -
The present structure, which stands on its original site on the north bank of the Raritan River, evolved from the first house built by Michael Van Veghten before 1720. The house served as headquarters for Quartermaster Nathanael Greene during the Middlebrook Encampment in 1778-1779. During the Second Middlebrook Encampment, Derrick Van Veghten quartered an entire division of American troops near the house. Placed on the National Register in 1979, the house now serves as headquarters for the Somerset County Historical Society.
Franklin Inn -
The Franklin Inn, a former tavern constructed in 1734 on the stagecoach route from New York to Philadelphia, served as headquarters for British General Cornwallis for five days in 1777. A fine example of eighteenth century Dutch architecture, the building now houses the 20,000 volume Blackwells Mills Canal House Association library and serves as a used book store.
Abraham Staats House -
In March of 1779, Baron Von Steuben came to train nearly 10,000 soldiers at the second Middlebrook encampment. Until the break of camp in June, he was quartered at the Staats house where he entertained various dignitaries. In May, with sixteen guns present, Von Steuben reviewed eight regiments of his troops in honor of General Washington and the visiting French minister.
Other Historical Sites
Old Millstone Forge -
Known as the longest operating blacksmith shop in America, the Old Millstone Forge was constructed prior to 1700. It served the area as an active blacksmith's shop until the death, in1959, of its last blacksmith, Edward H. Wyckoff, who worked his trade for 72 years. The building was restored by area residents in the 1960s and is operated by the Millstone Forge Association. The shop is open to the public as a museum featuring smithing demonstrations and the history of blacksmithing.
Van Wickle House (The Meadows) -
Built in 1722, the building has been farmhouse, colonial showplace, and home for generations of owners. Restoration has included the addition of an outdoor stage, formal gardens, a canal bridge, wetland boardwalk, program center, nature trail and youth camping site. There is direct link by footbridge to the D&R Canal walking and bicycle paths, making this an excellent beginning or ending for a day's outing. The house and land are available for meetings, special events, weddings and reunions. The Van Wickle property is also the site for public events including the Holiday Sinterklass Festival and Decorated Historic Houses Tour.
The Meadows Foundation is an association of volunteers who have secured and maintain several vital historic sites in Franklin Township including Van Wickle House, the Franklin Inn, Hageman Farm, Blackwells Mills Canal House, Wyckoff-Garretson, and Van Liew-Suydam. Restoration of the properties is supported by revenue from site rentals, a program of events and a book store at the Franklin Inn site.
Hageman Farm -
Two magnificent, century-old barns and a beautifully restored Victorian farmhouse with roomy, high-ceilinged parlors perfect for events of all kinds.
Blackwells Mills Canal House -
Built in the 1830s, Blackwells Mills was home for a century of bridge-tenders who opened the old swing bridge for boats traveling the Delaware and Raritan Canal. Restored by volunteers, the property is home for programs such as craft and antique shows, art exhibits, canoe instruction, children's events, market days, and plant sales.
Ghosts and Graveyards -
Many Somerset County graveyards make fascinating do-it-yourself tours. Knowledgeable visitors can spot graves of soldiers, patriots, even spies, and most churches and cemetery associations don't mind respectful visitors.
The Hendrick Fisher house, the oldest house still standing in Somerset County, stands a few hundred feet away from Ukrainian Orthodox Church on Easton Avenue in South Bound Brook. Fisher, one of the first to preach independence and the first President of the Provincial Congress of New Jersey in 1775, died before the conclusion of the Revolution and was laid to rest in the family burial grounds now enclosed by a fence behind the church. A small museum in the rear of the church contains Fisher family artifacts.
The Basking Ridge Presbyterian Church, built before 1720, stands alongside one of the oldest white oaks in the Western Hemisphere, estimated to be more than 600 years old. Both General Washington and Lafayette picnicked under the oak, and Colonial troops often stopped here to rest. About 35 Revolutionary War soldiers are buried in the well-preserved graveyard under the tree adjoining the church.
At the Bedminster Reformed Church Cemetery you'll find the grave of tiny Julie Knox, daughter of General Henry Knox, confidant of George Washington and trainer for an Artillery Corps of about 1,600 men encamped in the little village of Pluckemin. So young in death that she was not yet baptized, the child's grieving family was forced to bury her in rough land outside the church gates.
At the Pluckemin Presbyterian Church half-mile south on Route 202-206 in the village, a grave well marked with the Stars and Stripes and the Union Jack belongs to Captain John Leslie, a British officer wounded in the January 1777 Battle of Princeton, and who died on the porch of an inn in Pluckemin after being brought there by American soldiers. Captain Leslie, who years before in Scotland had taught Benjamin Rush, Washington's personal physician, was buried with full military honors. Dr. Rush erected the notable headstone over the grave.
