"In 1674, New Jersey was split into East Jersey and West Jersey by a boundary line extending straight north through the country from Little Egg Harbor to the 'utmost branch of the Delaware River.' By an Act of the Assembly of East Jersey in 1682, the province was divided into the four counties of Bergen, Essex, Middlesex and Monmouth." The recording of deeds began in the county seat, which was the village of Hackensack, in 1715 but the records did include some deeds from as far back as 1689. The author has written abstracts from the information contained in the Bergen County, New Jersey, Deed Books A through N, comprising records from 1689 to 1801. The original deed books have suffered extensive damage and the index of names has been lost thereby increasing the genealogical value of this particular work. While the handwritten deeds often run several pages, they usually repeat the vital information over and over again. Mr. Davis has consolidated the pertinent information into an informative and comprehensive abstract. Each entry contains, in order: the date of the transaction, the name of the grantor(s), the place of residence of the grantor(s), the name of the grantee(s), the place of residence of the grantee(s), price, the area of land involved, the location of the land, neighbors, chain of deed, other landmarks, signature of the grantor(s), signatures of the witnesses, and the signatures of others. The author has also included an every-name index for the ease of researching names.

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1900 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XXVII. RUTHERFORD BOROUGHS. VILLA SITES--THE MANOR HOUSE--RUTHERFORD PARK LAND COMPANIES --THE BOROUGH--SCHOOLS--NEWSPAPERS--SOCIETIES, ASSOCIATIONS, CLUBS AND LODGES--BOARD OF TRADE BANKS-- COMPANY L--CHURCHES--EAST RUTHERFORD--ORGAN- IZATION OF THE BOROUGH--BOROUGH OFFICERS --BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. In "Things Old and New," published in 1898, we find a letter written by Mr. Floyd W. Tompkins, the "Pioneer" of the village of Rutherford, in which he tells us that on April 2d, 1858, he removed with his family to a little farm of twenty-five acres which he had bought, and on which stood a small stone house. Shortly after this he purchased seventy-five acres more on what is now Union Avenue, and had it surveyed and a map made of "Villa sites at Boiling Springs, New Jersey." This was the beginning of the village, although a station had been established here ever since 1832, when the New York and Paterson Railroad was finished. When locomotive power was adopted the never failing spring had been utilized by the company as a watering station under the name of Boiling Springs. Several gentlemen now bought lots, built houses and finally by using some liberality prevailed upon the railroad company (now the Erie) to erect a passenger depot and ticket office. This depot was a small triangular shaped brick building, with a gable roof. It stood on the east side of the railroad at the corner of Union Avenue, which was then more a lane than an avenue. At this time Charles Ingersoll was station agent. About the year 1862, this little structure gave place to the one which in time has been displaced by the beautiful, new and commodious building completed in 1897. Park Avenue was laid out in 1866 by the commissioners, to connect the lands oT the...