Guide to the Ferdinand John Paris (fl. 1734-1759) Papers 1686-1850 MG 244

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Descriptive Summary
Biographical Note
Scope and Content Note
Arrangement
Restrictions
Access Points
Related Material
Administrative Information
Bibliography

Series Descriptions and Container List

Series 1: Correspondence, 1746-1757

Series 2: Government Documents, NJ/NY Border Disputes, 1685-1784

Series 3: Government Documents, East and West Jersey Border Disputes, 1663-1784

Series 4: Government Documents, New Jersey Riots, 1745-1755

Series 5: Town Records, 1666-1745

Series 6: Printed Documents, 1745-1757

Series 7: Various Documents, 1709-1850


Guide to the Ferdinand John Paris (fl. 1734-1759) Papers
1686-1850
MG 244
The New Jersey Historical Society
52 Park Place
Newark, New Jersey 07102
Contact: NJHS Library
(973) 596-8500 x249
library@jerseyhistory.org
https://www.jerseyhistory.org
© 2004 All rights reserved.
The New Jersey Historical Society, Publisher
Inventory prepared by James Lewis, August 2001, as part of the “Farm to City” project funded by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

Finding aid encoded by Julia Telonidis. November 2003. Production of the EAD 2002 version of this finding aid was made possible by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Finding aid written in English.


Descriptive Summary

Creator: Paris, Ferdinand John, fl. 1734-1759.
Title: Ferdinand John Paris (fl. 1734-1759)
Papers
Dates: 1686-1850
Abstract: The papers consist mostly of letters, receipts and other documents belonging to London based lawyer Ferdinand John Paris and pertaining to border disputes in colonial New Jersey.
Quantity: 2.1 linear ft. (16 folders)
Collection Number: MG 244

Biographical Note

Ferdinand John Paris was an influential London lawyer who was appointed by the East Jersey Proprietors to be their agent with the British government. The East Jersey Proprietors needed someone to represent their cause, the delineation of the borders between East and West Jersey and New Jersey and New York The lack of a clear-cut border between the two colonies and the two Jerseys had led to numerous violent incidents. The Proprietors also fueled their residents’ anger through their quitrents and making the smaller landowners pay for their property more than once thus leading the residents to riot between 1745 and 1754.

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Scope and Content Note

This collection consists of correspondence; Voters Assembly notes; newspaper articles; government reports and acts; and indentures and deeds, with dates from 1686-1850.

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Arrangement

This collection is organized into six series:

Series 1: Correspondence, 1746-1757

Series 2: Government Documents, NJ/NY Border Disputes, 1685-1784

Series 3: Governement Documents, East and West Jersey Border Disputes, 1663-1784

Series 4: Governement Documents, NJ Riots, 1745-1755

Series 5: Town Records, 1666-1745

Series 6: Printed Materials, 1745-1757

Series 7: Series 7: Various Documents, 1709-1850

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Restrictions

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on this collection.

Photocopying of materials is limited and no materials may be photocopied without permission from library staff.

Use Restrictions

Researchers wishing to publish, reproduce, or reprint materials from this collection must obtain permission.

The New Jersey Historical Society complies with the copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code), which governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions and protects unpublished materials as well as published materials.

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Access Points

The entries below represent persons, organizations, topics, and forms documented in this collection.
Subject Names:
Morris, Robert Hunter, 1713-1764
Van Arsdale, Elias.
Subject Topics:
Border disputes–New Jersey.
Lawyers–New Jersey.
Right of property–New Jersey.
Riots–New Jersey.
Subject Places:
Elizabeth (N.J.).
Great Britain–Colonies–Administration.
Newark (N.J.)
New Jersey.
New York (State).
Piscataway (N.J.)
Document Types:
Clippings.
Deeds.
Indentures.
Legal documents.
Letters (correspondence)
Minutes
Notes.

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Related Material

Manuscript Group 17, Robert Hunter Morris (ca. 1700-1764) Papers, 1726-1770

Manuscript Group 210, Surveyors’ Journals Collection, 1715-1743

Manuscript Group 258, John Lawrence (1709-1794) Papers, 1719-1857

Manuscript Group 409, Stevens Family Papers, 1663-1959

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Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

This collection should be cited as: Manuscript Group 244, Ferdinand John Paris (fl. 1734-1759)
Papers, The New Jersey Historical Society.

Acquisition Information

This collection was the gift of Miss Rutherford in 1860.

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Bibliography

William A. Whitehead (ed.) Proceedings of the Council of New Jersey, March 19th, 1747. Archives of the State of New Jersey, First Series, Vol. VI. : 424-425 (Newark, NJ: Daily Advertiser Printing House, 1882).

Thomas L. Purvis. Disaffection along the Millstone: The Petition of Dollens Hegeman and Anti-Proprietary Sentiment in Eighteenth Century New Jersey.New Jersey History, Vol. 101 (3/4): 60-82

Steven G. Greirert The Earl of Halifax and the Land Riots in New Jersey 1748-1753. Vol. 9, (3/4): 13-31.

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Series Descriptions and Container List

Series 1: Correspondence, 1746-1757

Scope and Content:

This series consists mainly of correspondence between the leader of the East Jersey Proprietors, James Alexander (1691-1756) and their agent in London, Ferdinand John Paris. These letters discuss the Board of Trade of the British government’s receipt of the proprietors’ complaints and proposals regarding the dividing line and the riots. There is also a number of letters exchanged between the Chief Justice of East Jersey, Robert Hunter Morris (c.1713-1764) and Ferdinand John Paris. There are also letters regarding the border disputes and the riots to the Governor of New Jersey, Jonathan Belcher (1682-1757) and the Lieutenant-Governor of New York James Delancey (1703-1760).

Box Folder Title Date
1 1 Letters to James Alexander 1746-1749
1 2 Letters from James Alexander 1746-1748
1 3 Letters from James Alexander 1749-1751
1 4 Correspondence with William Alexander 1755-1758
1 5 Letters to Governor Jonathan Belcher 1754-1757
1 6 Letters to Lt.-Governor James Delancey 1754-1755
1 7 Letters to Robert H. Morris 1749-1754
1 8 Letters from Robert H. Morris 1752-1754
1 9 Letters to John Pownall 1749-1757
1 10 Letters from John Pownall 1753-1757
1 11 Correspondence from A-Z 1745-1755
1 12 Letters re: Newark Riots 1745-1748
1 13 Letters re: New Jersey Riots 1748-1749
Box Folder Title Date
2 1 Correspondence with Whitehall 1746-1757

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Series 2: Government Documents, NJ/NY Border Disputes, 1685-1784

Scope and Content:

New Jersey Proprietors acts and notes are also contained in this collection. The acts and notes are from both the West and East Jersey Proprietors date from 1687-1774. These documents discuss the border dispute and how the proprietors would like to handle the rioters. The British government’s replies to the Proprietors’ notes and requests are also contained in this series.

Box Folder Title Date
2 2 New Jersey Proprietors’ Memoranda to Lords of Trade 1701-1757
2 3 New Jersey Line A – New York Evidences 1685-1747
2 4 New Jersey Line B – New Jersey Evidences 1719, 1784
2 5 Government Acts re: NJ/NY Border 1747-1748
2 6 Government Acts and Reports re: NJ/NY Border 1753-1754
Box Folder Title Date
3 1 Objections and Petitions to NJ/NY Border Proposals n.d.
3 2 City of New York Council Court Documents 1754, 1769
3 3 English Court Hearings re: Colonial Borders 1717-1730

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Series 3: Government Documents, East and West Jersey Border Disputes, 1663-1784

Scope and Content:

New Jersey Proprietors acts and notes are also contained in this collection. The acts and notes are from both the West and East Jersey Proprietors date from 1687-1774. These documents discuss the border dispute and how the proprietors would like to handle the rioters. The British government’s replies to the Proprietors’ notes and requests are also contained in this series.

Box Folder Title Date
3 4 Line between East & West Jersey -“4 Original Documents” 1663-1748
3 5 Original Documents referring to the running of the line between E. and W. Jersey 1686-1688
3 6 New Jersey Line C Private Papers 1686-1753
3 7 New Jersey Proprietors Acts and Notes 1743-1754
3 8 East Jersey Proprietors Acts and Notes 1754-1757
3 9 West Jersey Proprietors Memoranda 1687-1774
Box Folder Title Date
4 1 East and West Jersey Proprietors Memoranda 1767-1784

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Series 4: Government Documents, New Jersey Riots, 1745-1755

Scope and Content:

New Jersey Proprietors acts and notes are also contained in this collection. The acts and notes are from both the West and East Jersey Proprietors date from 1687-1774. These documents discuss the border dispute and how the proprietors would like to handle the rioters. The British government’s replies to the Proprietors’ notes and requests are also contained in this series.

Box Folder Title Date
4 2 Copy Notes for the Council of Proprietors 1745-1750
4 3 New Jersey Council Minutes 1749-1750
4 4 British Government Report 1750
4 5 Petitions to the British Council 1749-1752
4 6 Petitions to the British Council 1751-1755
4 7 Bound Materials re: Riots 1745-1748
Box Folder Title Date
5 1 Bound Materials re: Riots 1747-1748
5 2 Bound Materials re: Riots 1748-1749

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Series 5: Town Records, 1666-1745

Scope and Content:

This series contains Voters Assembly notes and newspaper articles from the New York Weekly Post Boy, which discuss the riots in Elizabethtown, New Jersey and the dividing line between East and West Jersey.

Box Folder Title Date
5 3 Elizabethtown Indentures, Deeds, Town Records 1666-1745
5 4 Extracts from Elizabethtown and Piscataway Records 1741
5 5 Extracts from Elizabethtown and Piscataway Records 1741

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Series 6: Printed Documents, 1745-1757

Scope and Content:

This series consists of bound and printed materials.

Box Folder Title Date
5 6 Bound Printed Materials 1745-1748
5 7 Printed Materials 1745-1757
5 8 D Jersey Line – Sunday papers stitched together 1755

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Series 7: Various Documents, 1709-1850

Scope and Content:

This series consists of Elias Van Arsdale’s papers with dates from 1751-1850. These papers include legal records with Van Arsdale’s signature and indentures and deeds that Van Arsdale witnessed. There is also New York legal records with dates from 1709 and 1719-1720. These records refer to land purchases. This series concludes with an index prepared for the Paris papers.

Box Folder Title Date
6 1 Elias Van Arsdale Papers 1751-1850
6 2 New York Legal Records 1709, 1719-1720
6 3 Index to Paris Records n.d.

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