The name Monmouth was officially given to the county March 7th, 1683, as will be seen by the following extracts:

"Att a Councill held the 7th day of the mo-1 called March 1682-3

"A bill sent downe from the Deputyes for devideing the p'vince into Countyes read and agreed vtno."- Journal of proceedings of Gov. & Council, 1682-1703.

The following is an extract from the bill referred to:

"At a General Assembly begun and holden at Elizabethtown in this Province of East New Jersey, the first day of the Month called March Anno Domini 1682 and in the Five and Thirtieth year of the reign of King Charles the Second, over England, &c. and there continued by several adjournments thereof until the twenty-eight day of the said Month of March, for the public Weale of this Province was Enacted as follows:

"IV. An Act to divide the Province into Four Counties.- Having taken into consideration the necessity of dividing the Province into respective Counties for the better governing and settling Courts in the same:-

"Be it Enacted, by this General Assembly, and the Authority thereof, that this Province be divided, into four counties as followeth: (Here follows the bounds of Bergen, Essex, and Middlesex, after which the bounds of Monmouth are given as follows:)

"Monmouth County to begin at the Westward Bounds of Middlesex county, containing Middletown and Shrewsbury and so extend Westward, Southward, and Northward to the extream Bounds of the Province. Provided this distinction of the Province into Counties, do not extend to the infringement of any Liberty in any Charter already granted."

The name Monmouth was given to the county through the influence of Col. Lewis Morris who at the beginning of this session (March 1st,) was said to have been "Elected for Shrewsbury" as a Deputy, but his place declared vacant, probably because he had been selected by the Governor as a member of the council at that time.

Colonel Morris had purchased a large tract of land, in what was afterwards known as Monmouth County, October 25th, 1676, said to Contain 3,540 acres, whereupon he located, as described in 1680, "his iron mills, his Manors, and divers other buildings for his servants and dependants; together with 60 or 70 negroes about the Mill and Husbandry. To this plantation he gave the name of Tintern (corrupted afterwards to Tinton) after an estate which had belonged to the family in Monmouthshire, England, and from him Monmouth county received its name."