Researching Your New Jersey Family
While access to genealogical information has increased exponentially with the internet, many of the clues needed to find your ancestors aren’t online. They are still waiting to be discovered in archives, historical societies, libraries and special collections.
New Jersey can offer a wealth of information for those researching their recent and more distant ancestors. The trick is knowing where to look and what to look for.
As New Jersey genealogists, our research has taken us everywhere from the New Jersey State Archives in Trenton, to county historical associations, and even to small town public libraries. Each repository offers its own unique resources that can open new research avenues and sometimes break through the hardiest of brick walls.
The main hub of genealogical research in New Jersey is, of course, the New Jersey State Archives in Trenton. Its collections of birth, deaths and marriages are an invaluable resource. Yet, the Archives offers so much more than the standard BDMs. Newspaper collections, court records, divorce records, early colonial records, and a host of county records – deeds, mortgages, naturalizations and wills – are a few of the collections we have searched through first-hand. These additional records can provide important clues and often paint a much broader picture of your ancestors’ lives.
While the Archives is one of the first stops for any researcher, New Jersey also has a network of special collections, archives and historical associations throughout the State. Researchers can access bible and family records at Rutgers’ Special Collections, search through the Archdiocese of Newark’s microfilm collections at Seton Hall, look through early Paterson family files at the Passaic County Historical Society’s Library or locate an early 19th century deed at the Monmouth County Archives in Freehold.
Be sure to familiarize yourself with these great institutions. Many of them provide finding aids and collection descriptions on their website. Knowing ahead of time what you are looking for will make your trip that much easier. Calling ahead or e-mailing the staff before your visit is a great idea too.
One of the most underutilized resources in New Jersey are local public libraries. Many have great collections of obituaries, biographies, city directories, and even high school yearbooks. The New Jersey Rooms at the Newark and Jersey City Public Libraries and the impressive collections at the Plainfield Public Library are just a few examples. There are many more libraries throughout the State with great collections for genealogists and family historians.
To get you started here are links to a few New Jersey archives, societies and libraries:
Rutgers Special Collections and University Archives
Seton Hall Archives & Special Collections
Their collections are just waiting to be discovered. Happy hunting!
