104    UNITED STATES GAZETTEER.

NEW JERSEY is one of the central states on the Atlantic coast of the country comprising
the original thirteen United States. The earliest settlement was made in the county of
Bergen, between the years 1620 and 1630, by some Dutch people from New York. They
were joined by parties of Danes and Norwegians, who, in 1638, were followed by a body of
Swedes and Fins, which formed a colony on the Delaware River, and purchased of the
aborigines the lands on both sides of that stream, as far as the river was navigable. In 1664,
the territory between the Connecticut and Delaware Rivers was granted to the Duke of York,
brother to Charles II. The charter included New Jersey, of which the Dutch were forthwith
dispossessed by the English; and it was then conveyed to Lord Berkeley and Sir George
Carteret. These latter proprietors drew up a form of government, and sent over Philip Car-
teret as governor, who fixed upon Elizabethtown as his seat of government, in 1665. Sundry
political changes ensued, and in 1676 the province was divided, the western part annexed to
New York, and the eastern remaining as a separate colony,    under the direct    dominion of    the

crown. Six years afterwards, the latter section was assigned to William Penn    and    his

associates. Twenty years subsequently, it was surrendered to Queen Anne, and incorporated
with New York, under the government of which both provinces continued until 1738, when
they were again placed under the immediate jurisdiction of the British sovereign, and so re-
mained until the royal authority was abrogated by the revolution of 1776. The republican
constitution of the state is dated July 2d of that year. During the war with Great Britain,
New Jersey suffered more than her proportion of the hardships, and rendered her full measure
of the services, incident to that eventful struggle.

Boundaries and Extent. — New Jersey is bounded north by New York State, east by the
Atlantic Ocean, south by Delaware Bay, and west by the State of Pennsylvania. It lies be-
tween 38° 58' and 41° 21' north latitude, and extends from 73° 58' to 75° 29' west longitude.
Its extreme length, from north to south, is about 160 miles,    and its average    breadth    not    far

from 50 miles. Its area, by official report, is 8320 miles.

Government. — The government is vested in a governor, Council, and House of Assembly, all
of whom are elected annually, the former by the legislative branches in joint ballot, the latter by
the people. The Council consists of 18 members, the president of which is, ex officio, lieutenant
governor, and the Assembly comprises 58 members. No persons are eligible for either of
these offices without a previous residence of one year, and the possession of property valued
at £1000 in the case of councillors, or at £500 in the case of assembly men. Voters must
also have resided within the state one year, and possess property worth £50 “ proclamation
money."