Research 2026

VISITING THE LIBRARY

The Hiram E. Deats Memorial Library, located at 114 Main Street in Flemington, New Jersey, holds an extensive collection of Hunterdon County historical and genealogical materials. The library is open for research by appointment only on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons from noon to 4 p.m. Appointments are free for members.

The non-member research fee is $10.00 per visit. The fee covers staff time to research, select, and pull relevant materials for your visit. We encourage you to become a member. To learn more about the benefits of membership and to join or renew your membership, please click on the following link: Membership – Hunterdon History

To make an appointment, please email the librarian at hunterdonhistoryinfo@gmail.com and include information on your research topic. As some materials are held at our offsite facility, we ask for one week’s notice so we may have relevant materials available for your visit.

HCHS Collections

Our processed library, archival, and photograph collections can be searched at the Past Perfect Online portal on our website. The link is http://hunterdonhistory.pastperfectonline.com/. We recommend starting with a keyword search and enclosing your search term in quotes such as “Hiram E. Deats”. Details of searching can be found on the catalog “About” page.

Many of our older archival collections have not yet been added to the online catalog. Inventory sheets for all processed manuscript collections can be accessed at the following link: Society Manuscript Collections

The Hunterdon County Historical Society digitized collections can be found on Omeka.net. Manuscripts and photographs on our Omeka site are free to download.

https://hunterdonhistory.omeka.net/

RESEARCH REQUESTS

For researchers not able to visit the library, we offer a basic lookup, a microfilm search, and a 2-hour limited research request. Research is only conducted using collections held at the Hunterdon County Historical Society. Requests must be for Hunterdon County people, organizations, or events. We do not accept requests for house history or property research.

Look-up Requests

A basic lookup in our library records (e.g., obituary files, bible records, clippings files, etc.) is available for a $5.00 fee for non-members. Members receive 3 lookups each calendar year at no charge. Lookup requests do not include searches on microfilm. The fee includes up to 5 photocopied or scanned pages (letter or legal size). Additional pages are 50 cents/page. Postage will be charged for printed records sent by U.S. mail. Lookup requests can be submitted via email to HCHS Librarian at hunterdonhistoryinfo@gmail.com. Any fees due will be invoiced via PayPal.

Microfilm Search

Microfilm search for an obituary or news article with an approximate date (within one month) will be charged at a prorated research rate.

15-minute search — $5.00 for members / $6.25 for non-members

30-minute search — $10.00 for members / $12.50 for non-members

The fee includes up to 5 photocopied or scanned pages. Additional pages are 50 cents/page. Fees due will be invoiced via PayPal.

Research Requests

Note: We do not accept requests for house history or property research, nor do we conduct off-site research.

Fees for a 2-hour limited search are $40 for members and $50 for non-members. Requests must be for a specific query on a topic or for one person or couple, not for any or all information on a person, couple or family. This fee includes two hours of research time using library and archival resources by our staff and/or research volunteers and up to 10 photocopied or scanned records. Additional pages are 50 cents/page. Your research reply will include a list of sources checked. Research fees are nonrefundable and apply whether or not relevant information is found. 

Digital scans for a lookup or research request do not include photographs or oversize documents. Please see Reproduction Policy and Fees.

Requests are answered in the order received, and turnaround time is approximately 3-4 weeks but can vary depending on the volume of requests received. An additional 2-hour search may be requested if we have additional materials to research

Download an application (link located below), complete the form and mail it with a check for $40 member/$50 non-member for an initial 2-hour search to: Research Query, Hunterdon County Historical Society, 114 Main Street, Flemington, NJ 08822.

Online submission (link located below): Please click on the appropriate link for members or non-members and complete the form online; you will be prompted to pay the applicable fee.

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– Download a Genealogy Research Request Form Here | – Download a Research Request Form Here

 

OR Sign up online:

 

 

REPRODUCTION POLICY AND FEES

In order to protect original materials, the Society prohibits the use of outside scanning and photography equipment other than a non-lighted/non-flash handheld camera.

Scans and photocopies of our manuscripts, images, etc. are available for private research use (subject to copyright law and document condition). They will be delivered electronically via email or Google Drive depending on file size.

We do not scan materials under copyright or complete works, published or unpublished. We do not accept requests that are too large in volume for the staff and volunteers to handle within our normal workflow.

On-site Photocopy Fees

Fee for in-person photocopying is 25 cents/page for library materials and 50 cents/page for archival materials for copies up to 8.5” x 14”. Fee for 11” x 17” photocopies is 50 cents/page for library or archival materials.

Scanning Policy and Fees:

Documents and manuscripts

Fee for black and white scans is 50 cents/page for 8.5″ x 11″ and 8.5” x 14” for both library and archival materials.

Fees for requests for scans larger than 8.5″ x 14″ will be determined on an individual basis depending upon the size of the document and the number of pages.

Researchers will receive an approximate cost to be approved before scanning is conducted. Once scanning is complete, an invoice will be emailed via PayPal, and the fee needs to be paid through PayPal (credit or debit card accepted) or by check before scans are emailed.

If photocopies are preferred, there will be an additional charge for postage.

Photographs

Photographic image requests can be submitted via email to hunterdonhistoryinfo@gmail.com. A fee of $20.00 per image is charged for a one-time/one format, non-exclusive use for non-commercial (personal use, non-profit, educational, or government) organization.

A fee of $50 per image is charged for a commercial organization or publication. Requester will receive one 600dpi .tif file and one 300 dpi .jpg file, per image scanned. The images will not be altered from the original in any way. Scans will be delivered electronically or by Google Drive depending on the file size.

Any subsequent use of materials must be requested in writing from the Historical Society, and additional fees may be charged. Fees are non-refundable, even if a collection image is not used.

Written permission is required to use photographic reproductions and credit given to the Hunterdon County Historical Society as the source of the image. Please see the HCHS Publication Rights Agreement. Publication Rights Agreement 

A completed Publication Rights Agreement will be sent to you along with a PayPal invoice. Once signed and dated agreement has been returned and payment received, the requested image will be scanned and delivered via email or Google Drive depending upon the file size.

Publication and Use

Please note that all reference reproductions are for personal/study use only. The possession of a reproduction of HCHS collection of materials and the payment of associated reproduction service fees, does not constitute or imply permission to publish or exhibit. It is necessary for researchers to obtain separate, written permission for the publication or exhibition of all material held in the HCHS collections. All licenses are for one use only, and each additional instance of use must be separately requested in writing. Usage rights fees, above and beyond reproduction costs, may apply and vary depending on whether a reproduction is for an individual, non-profit, or commercial institution and how it will be used (personal research, publication, exhibition, etc.).

Statement on Copyright and Fair Use

The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.