Hertford County, West New Jersey facts for kids

Hertford County was either a proposed or former a county in otherwise unorganized territory in West Jersey, known only from one source, a map by John Thornton based on surveys by John Worlidge of Salem.

Boundaries

No full description of Hertford County's boundaries exists. A note on the Thornton map states, "The R: Derwin or Asumpinck is the bounds between the County's of Burlington and Hertford on the Wt side of the line of Partition". While the site of the future City of Trenton falls within these boundaries, it was very sparsely settled at the time. No northern boundary is indicated.

History

No legislation exists either establishing or dissolving Hertford County, however it is notable that the acts of the West Jersey Legislature between November 1685 and November 1692 have been lost. Likewise, there is no record of any court, sheriff or other county government, nor is there any record of Hertford as a constituency in the West Jersey General Assembly. On May 17, 1694, the territory north of Assunpink Creek was by legislation assigned to Burlington County "until further Order of the General Assembly". No reference is made in the act to an existing or former Hertford County. On March 11, 1713/14 all of Burlington County north of Assunpink Creek was set off as Hunterdon County.