Roster of the People of Revolutionary Monmouth County (New Jersey)

Book excerpt: This remarkable book is nothing less than an alphabetical listing of nearly the entire adult male (and some of the female) population of Monmouth County during the American Revolution--some 6,000 Monmouth Countians between 1776 and 1783. For roughly half of the persons listed, we find one or two identifying pieces of information, such as militia service, date of death, signer of a petition, conviction of a misdemeanor, occupation, and so on. But in an equal number of cases we are presented with enough information to trace the allegiance or comings and goings of a Monmouth County resident over a number of years (e.g., Abiel Aiken: militia volunteer, 1776; signer of petition, 1777; coroner, 1778; justice of the peace, 1780-83; leased horses to Continental Army, 1781; and so on).