Maryann, I found the records partly through "luck" and mostly with the help of the infamous Bette M. Epstein at the New Jersey Archives. My Thompson family was apparently first researched early in the 1900s. The family tree was then "maintained" and updated every year at the family reunions. By the time I became addicted to genealogy in 2001, I had over 300 years of names and dates and notes to start with. However, there was no documentation.... Except.... a handwritten copy/translation of the Will for Henry Thompson, and in the margin was the note, "Copy of Will of Henry Thompson File 2873 C, N.J. Sec of States". I "googled" New Jersey Secretary of State, discovered the Archives, sent an email to the head librarian, and have been on a roll ever since. Check out http://www.state.nj.us/state/darm/links/reference.html and if I can be of further assistance, just let me know. Carol Payne in Oklahoma [email protected] ----- Original Message ----- From: maryann clark To: Carol Payne Sent: Saturday, March 11, 2006 12:01 PM Subject: Re: [NJ] Records of the West Proprietors Dear Carol, I was wondering how you found the information on him so far back intime ( 1684) ? I am having trouble getting that far back. Thankyou, Maryann Clark Carol Payne <[email protected]> wrote: Hello Everyone! My 8th great grandfather came to America in 1684. In the NJ Sec of State Archives is the Calendar of Records of the Secretary of State, 1664-1703 [this is the Secretary for West Jersey in Burlington County]. In Libra A, page 155 of those records.... 1684 Dec. 1. "The names of such p'sons as were imported into this province and brought to bee Registered in the Secretary's books of Records are as follows: Upon Accompt of Governor Lawrie:..... Upon Accompt of Wm Haige:..... Upon the Accompt of such of the Proprietors as belongs to Scotland:..... Upon the Accompt of Wm Dockwra:..... Upon the Accompt of John Barclay:....." Under the account of Wm Dockwra is listed my Henry THOMPSON as Indentured for 7 years. I know that the "allotment of land" for Henry, per The Concessions and Agreements, was in Mansfield Township, Burlington County, (West) New Jersey. I know that "accompt" means "account", and that Wm Dockwra was given "credit" for Henry and each of the 22 other persons he sent to America to help "more speedily promote" the planting of the Province. What I don't understand is the "Indentured for 7 years" part of all this. Does Henry owe the cost of his passage to Wm Dockwra? - or do the West Proprietors owe the money to Wm Dockwra, who was an East Proprietor? Henry's "indenture of 7 years" would have ended in 1691, but (I assume because of all the fuss over boundary lines, etc.), he did not receive his Warranty Deed for the land until 1710. The Warranty Deed/Land Indenture indicates that the land originally belonged to a Hugh Hutchin. Could Hugh Hutchin have been the one who paid "the debt" to Wm Dockwra? I would like to know the "who, what, when and how" of this "7 year indenture". I assume the information would be in the records of the West Proprietors. Does anyone know where those records are and how I can research them? Carol Payne in Oklahoma [email protected] ==== NJ Mailing List ==== To post messages to the NJ-L discussion list, send them to [email protected] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Relax. Yahoo! Mail virus scanning helps detect nasty viruses!