New Jersey
Permanent URL for this collectionhttps://dspace.firearmsresearchcenter.org/id/frc0001/4592
New Jersey
This jurisdictional hub aggregates FRC holdings related to New Jersey. It supports research on the state’s firearms history, technology, law, policy, and culture from the colonial period through statehood to the present.
- Legal sources: statutes and session laws, administrative code, attorney general opinions, appellate decisions, and select municipal ordinances.
- Historical materials: newspapers, photographs, maps, catalogs, manufacturing, maritime, and law-enforcement records, and oral histories tied to New Jersey people and places.
- Research outputs: technical reports, academic studies, training manuals, and curated datasets relevant to the state.
Cite the Firearms Research Center and the item’s handle/DOI when using materials. Rights and licensing vary by item.
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Item type:Item, 1797 N.J. Laws 219-20(1797)Required the assessor of each town to compare the list of 18-to-45-year-olds in the community to the list of persons enrolled for military duty, and to ensure that everyone 18 and older who was not exempted was keeping the proper arms and fulfilling his militia duties.Item type:Item, 3 Bernard Bush, Laws of the Royal Colony of New Jersey 307 (1980)(1755)Set the minimum age at twenty-one for enlistment for out-of-colony service without consent of a parent, guardian, or master.Item type:Item, 1792 N.J. Laws 850(1792)Raised the minimum age to 18, and lowered the maximum age to 45. Further, "every non-commissioned Officer and Private of the Infantry (including Grenadiers, Light Infantry and Artillery) until supplied with Ordinance and Field Artillery, shall have a good Musket or Firelock, a sufficient Bayonet and Belt, two spare Flints and a Knapsack, a Pouch with a Box not less than twenty-four Cartridges suited to the Bore of his Musket or Firelock, each Cartridge containing a proper Quantity of Powder and Ball; or with a good Rifle, Knapsack, Pouch and Powder-Horn, twenty Balls suited to the Bore of his Rifle, and a Quarter of a Pound of Powder; and shall appear so armed, accoutred and provided, when called out to exercise or into Service.Item type:Item, 1776-77 N.J. Laws 26(1777)[A]ll able-bodied Men, not being Slaves … between the Ages of sixteen and fifty Years … and [] capable of bearing Arms" constituted the militia.Item type:Item, 1780 N.J. Laws 42-43(1780)And Be It Enacted, That the Captain or Commanding Officer of each Company shall keep a true and perfect List or Roll of all effective Men between the Ages of sixteen and fifty Years, residing within the District of such Company ... And Be It Enacted, That every Person enrolled as aforesaid shall constantly keep himself furnished with a good Musket, well fitted with a Bayonet, a Worm, a Cartridge-Box, twenty-three Rounds of Cartridges sized to his Musket, a Priming Wire, Brush, six Flints, a Knapsack and Canteen, under the Forfeiture of Seven Shillings and Sixpence for Want of a Musket, and One Shilling for Want of any other of the aforesaid Articles, whenever called out to Training or Service ... Provided always, That if any Person be furnished as aforesaid with a good Rifle-Gun, the Apparatus necessary for the same, and a Tomahawk, it shall be accepted in Lieu of the Musket and the Bayonet and other Articles belonging thereto. Further required that "each Person enrolled…also keep at his Place of Abode one Pound of good merchantable Gunpowder and three Pounds of Ball sized to his Musket or RifleItem type:Item, 3 Bernard Bush, Laws of the Royal Colony of New Jersey 502 (1980)(1757)Kept the age for militia between the Age of Sixteen and Fifty Years.Item type:Item, 3 Bernard Bush, Laws of the Royal Colony of New Jersey 385, 425 (1980)(1756)Set the minimum age at twenty-one for enlistment for out-of-colony service without consent of a parent, guardian, or master.Item type:Item, 1799 N.J. Laws 609(1799)Eliminated non-whites from the militia. Persons who were granted militia exemptions (e.g., physicians, clergy) had to pay a three-dollar annual fee. In case the militia were "called into actual service," exempted persons too would be liable to serve.Item type:Item, 3 Bernard Bush, Laws of the Royal Colony of New Jersey 502-11 (1980)(1757)Required most men aged 16 to 50 to enroll in the colony's militia, maintain specified arms and ammunition, and attend three annual training musters. Absences, appearing unarmed, or failing to keep required equipment resulted in fines, enforceable through seizure and sale of property. Captains were required to inspect arms regularly. Selling alcohol to militia members during musters was prohibited and punishable by fine. During invasions, rebellions, or alarms, militia members were subject to court-martial discipline for disobedience or nonappearance, though punishments could not include death or mutilation.Item type:Item, 3 Bernard Bush, Laws of the Royal Colony of New Jersey 425-36 (1980)(1756)Established a colonel to command New Jersey's frontier forces and required him to oversee discipline, training, and military readiness. He was obligated to conduct regular inspections of forts and posts, maintain at least eighty men on patrol, keep detailed records of enlistments, discharges, deaths, and military activities, and submit periodic reports to the governor and legislature. The colonel was also required to take loyalty oaths and swear to maintain accurate muster rolls and payroll records to prevent fraud and ensure proper compensation of soldiers.Item type:Item, 3 Bernard Bush, Laws of the Royal Colony of New Jersey 385-90 (1980)(1756)Authorized New Jersey to raise 250 volunteer freemen to defend the Sussex County frontier against Native American attacks. The volunteers were organized into three companies, received pay and limited protection from civil debt collection, and could be supplied with colony-owned muskets if necessary. The law prohibited enlisting minors, slaves, servants, or apprentices without permission and imposed substantial penalties on officers who violated those restrictions. It also appropriated funds for soldiers' wages, provisions, ammunition, and other military supplies, and established procedures for managing and disposing of unused stores.Item type:Item, 3 Bernard Bush, Laws of the Royal Colony of New Jersey 307-19 (1980)(1755)Authorized New Jersey to raise 500 free men and allied Native Americans for a military expedition against French encroachments. Volunteers received enlistment bonuses, military pay, and temporary protection from most civil debt collection, while safeguards prevented them from using enlistment to defraud creditors. Further, prohibited enlisting men under 21, slaves, servants, or apprentices without written permission from their parents, guardians, or masters. Justices could order their release, and officers who unlawfully enlisted or detained them faced substantial fines: £500 for minors, £100 for slaves, and £20 for servants or apprentices.Item type:Item, 1777 N.J. Laws 90(1777)Ch. 40, 20: That the President and Council aforesaid be, and they hereby are empowered and directed to deprive and take from such Persons as they shall judge disaffected and dangerous to the present Government, all the Arms, Accoutrements and Ammunition which they own or possess; and the said President and Council are hereby authorized to pay for such Arms, Accoutrements and Ammunition, or any of them, such Sum as shall be ascertained by two or more Appraisers under Oath, which said Arms, Accoutrements and Ammunition shall be delivered, for the Use of the State, to the Commanding Officer of the Battalion in whose District such disaffected Person resides."Item type:Item, 1797 N.J. Laws 219-20(1797)Required the assessor of each town to compare the list of 18-to-45-year-olds in the community to the list of persons enrolled for military duty, and to ensure that everyone 18 and older who was not exempted was keeping the proper arms and fulfilling his militia duties.Item type:Item, 1776 N.J. Laws 344(1771)Ch. 539, 1, 3: Be it Enacted by the Governor, Council and General Assembly of this colony of New Jersey, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That if any person or persons shall presume, at any time after the publication hereof, to carry any gun on any lands not his own, and for which the owner pays taxes, or is in his lawful possession, unless he hath license or permission in writing from the owner or owners, or legal possessor, every such person so offending, and convicted thereof, either upon the view of any justice of the peace within this colony, or by the oath or affirmation of one or more witnesses, before any justice of the peace of either of the counties, cities, or towns corporate of this colony, in which the offender or offenders may be taken or reside, he or she, or they, shall for every offence, forfeit and pay to the owner of the soil, or his tenant in possession, the sum of forty shillings, with costs of sit; which forfeiture shall and may be sued for and recovered by the owner of the soil, or tenant in possession before any justice of the peace in this colony, for the use of such owner or tenant in possession. Also provided that if the offender is not a resident of the colony, they shall pay a sum of five dollars and forfeit their arms.Item type:Item, 3 Bernard Bush, Laws of the Royal Colony of New Jersey 307 (1980)(1755)Set the minimum age at twenty-one for enlistment for out-of-colony service without consent of a parent, guardian, or master.Item type:Item, 1778 N.J. Laws 45(1778)An Act for the Regulating, Training and Arraying of the Militia, ch. 21, 11: That every Person enrolled shall constantly keep himself furnished with a good Musket, well fitted with a Bayonet, Steel Ramrod and Worm, a Cartridge-box, twenty three Rounds of Cartridges sized to his Musket, a Priming-wire, Brush and twelve Flints, a Knapsack and CanteenItem type:Item, 1776-77 N.J. Laws 6(1776)"Act for the Inspection of Gunpowder," ch. 6, 1: Required the inspection of gunpowder prior to sale, and appointed state inspectors to "mark" lots that passed inspection.Item type:Item, 3 Bernard Bush, Laws of the Royal Colony of New Jersey 385, 425 (1980)(1756)Set the minimum age at twenty-one for enlistment for out-of-colony service without consent of a parent, guardian, or master.Item type:Item, 1780 N.J. Laws 42-43(1780)And Be It Enacted, That the Captain or Commanding Officer of each Company shall keep a true and perfect List or Roll of all effective Men between the Ages of sixteen and fifty Years, residing within the District of such Company . . . And Be It Enacted, That every Person enrolled as aforesaid shall constantly keep himself furnished with a good Musket, well fitted with a Bayonet, a Worm, a Cartridge-Box, twenty-three Rounds of Cartridges sized to his Musket, a Priming Wire, Brush, six Flints, a Knapsack and Canteen, under the Forfeiture of Seven Shillings and Sixpence for Want of a Musket, and One Shilling for Want of any other of the aforesaid Articles, whenever called out to Training or Service . . . Provided always, That if any Person be furnished as aforesaid with a good Rifle-Gun, the Apparatus necessary for the same, and a Tomahawk, it shall be accepted in Lieu of the Musket and the Bayonet and other Articles belonging thereto. Further required that "each Person enrolled?also keep at his Place of Abode one Pound of good merchantable Gunpowder and three Pounds of Ball sized to his Musket or RifleItem type:Item, 1752 N.J. Laws 444(1750)Ch. 112, 4: Prohibited "any Negro or Mulatto Slave" from being off their master's property with a gun on the Lord's Day after nine in the evening.Item type:Item, 1792 N.J. Laws 850(1792)Raised the minimum age to 18, and lowered the maximum age to 45. Further, "every non-commissioned Officer and Private of the Infantry (including Grenadiers, Light Infantry and Artillery) until supplied with Ordinance and Field Artillery, shall have a good Musket or Firelock, a sufficient Bayonet and Belt, two spare Flints and a Knapsack, a Pouch with a Box not less than twenty-four Cartridges suited to the Bore of his Musket or Firelock, each Cartridge containing a proper Quantity of Powder and Ball; or with a good Rifle, Knapsack, Pouch and Powder-Horn, twenty Balls suited to the Bore of his Rifle, and a Quarter of a Pound of Powder; and shall appear so armed, accoutred and provided, when called out to exercise or into Service.Item type:Item, 1821 N.J. Laws 370-71(1798)An Act respecting slaves: Prohibited "any negro or other slave" from hunting or carrying a gun on the first day of the week, or Sunday subject to imprisonment.Item type:Item, 3 Bernard Bush, Laws of the Royal Colony of New Jersey 502 (1980)(1757)Kept the age for militia between the Age of Sixteen and Fifty Years.Item type:Item, 1776 N.J. Laws 346(1771)Ch. 539, 10: Prohibited the setting of any trap gun intended to discharge by any string, rope, or other contrivance. Punishable by forfeiture of the firearm and fine of 6 pounds.Item type:Item, 1799 N.J. Laws 609; 1800 N.J. Laws 441(1799)Eliminated non-whites from the militia. Persons who were granted militia exemptions (e.g., physicians, clergy) had to pay a three-dollar annual fee. In case the militia were "called into actual service," exempted persons too would be liable to serve.Item type:Item, 1821 N.J. Laws 474(1799)An Act to Describe, Apprehend and Punish Disorderly Persons, 2: Prohibited the carrying of any pistol, hanger, cutlass, bludgeon, or other offensive weapon, with intent to assault any person."