Miscellaneous Books, 1786-1984

The Miscellaneous Books Series contain, exactly as the title indicates, everything other than deeds and mortgages. As “keeper of the records,” the Monmouth County Clerk was required to file and maintain a variety of information relating to all legal matters within the County, both County business and legally binding contracts or agreements between individuals residing within the County.

While deeds and mortgages were recorded in a defined set of books, powers of attorney, Church incorporations, agreements, and leases fell into the miscellaneous category. The earliest books, Books B and C, contain Slave Manumissions and widows’ requests for pensions for their husbands’ service in the Revolutionary War.

• Miscellaneous Book B

In addition to leases, agreements, and powers of attorney, 20th century books contain sales of goods and chattels between individuals or business partners. In most cases, a list of the goods or chattels is included. There is also a small number of affidavits by inventors relating to their patents.

Indexes are available to the books and are organized by:

Grantor, person initiating the transaction;
or
Grantee, person receiving the lease, agreement, goods or chattels

The index indicates which book the information was recorded in.

The Archives holds the microfilms for Books B-Z (there is no Book A) and Books 27-33. Since there are 26 letters in the alphabet, the numeric sequence begins with 27. The microfilms end with Book 33. Miscellaneous Books after Book 33 are available at the County Clerk’s Office in the Market Yard Complex.