The Case of the Founding of Monmouth County

This paper originated as a presentation for New Jersey Archives Day held at Monmouth County Archives, when the county celebrated its 325th anniversary. The first four clearly defined counties in New Jersey were established in 1683, and they set the pattern for the future role counties played in the state. Much, though certainly not all, of the controversy leading up to their creation came from the Monmouth towns whose story is emphasized here