These 'Open Store' licenses were discovered by Gary Maher, of Garwood, New Jersey at the New Jersey State Archives. My thanks for Gary for contributing them. We have also added one that we had in our files from the year 1794.

(Note that these can be useful to place your ancestor in a certain place and time period)

To the Honorable Court of Common Pleas for the County of Essex:

The Petition of A Number of Freeholders of said County Humbly sheweth
That your petitioners pray that

Matthias Sayre may be Appointed & Licensed To keep an Open Store in Said
County

Agreeable to A late Act of the Legislature of the State of New Jersey in
said case made and provided and your petitioners as in Duty Bound will
pray.

January 2d 1781

[Signed by:]

Benjn Woodruff
Epm Tucker
Charles Gilman
Ichabod Ross
Elias Mills
Joseph Lambert [stricken out]
[Lawrence?] Littell
William Peirson jun
Daniel Roberson
Daniel Baker jr
Nathaniel Baker
Benjamin Spinning ye 3d
David Peirson 3d
Moses Decamp
James [Tucker? Miller? Deker?]
William Miller the 3d
Jonathan Cory
WIlliam Mills
Thomas Woodruff

[On reverse:] Matthias Sayer of Elizabeth Town. Granted.

To the Honorable Court of Common Pleas for the County of Essex:

The Petition of A Number of Freeholders of said County Humbly sheweth
That your petitioners pray that

Charles Gillman May Be Appointed & Licensed To keep an Open Store in Said
County

Agreeable to A late Act of the Legislature of the State of New Jersey in
said case made and provided and your petitioners as in Duty Bound Will
pray.

Janawary 2d 1781

[Signed by:]

Matthias Sayre
Ichabod Ross
Wm Ludlum
Elias Mills
David Mills
Nathaniel Baker
David Peirson 3d
Daniel Roberson
William Stewart
Aaron Woodruff
William Miller
Samuel Miller
Fesse (Jesse?) Clarke
Philemon Elmer
Epm Tucker
John Scudder
Clark Miller

[On reverse:] Charles Gillman of Westfield. Granted.

To the Honorable the Court of quatersessions, in and for the county of Essex

     The Petition of the Inhabitants of the Township of
Westfield

                     Humbly Showeth

       That whereas it is necessary that there should be
a public house in Westfield beg leave to recommend Mr. Azariah
Clark as a suitable person for said business his being licened for the
above purpose to keep where he now lives your petitioners as in
duty bound will ever pray

Westfield March                                         Thomas Woodruff
   1794                                                        Ephraim Marsh
Theophilus Peirson                                      David Baker
John Ross ('Sen' or 'Jrn'? after this)              Ichabod Ross
Mattes [Matthias] Clark                                 Ezra Darby
David Peirson                                              Elias Mills
William Hays                                               Eli Miller
Benjn Cory Junr                                          Samuel Brooks Miller
John Scudder ('nc' after this?)                      Asa Woodruff
Silvanus Peirson                                           Samuel Downer Jr
Benjamin Saryes                                          Philemon Elmer
Daniel Baker                                               Moses Ross
Abraham Peirson                                         Daniel Baker Jr
Ephrm Scudder                                           William Baker
Nathaniel Baker                                           Henry Baker
Joseph Cory