The County Seal

An early account book shows that on March 2, 1796 Middlesex County paid 3 pounds, 15 shillings for a County Seal. There is no record of what it looked like. During the Civil War the Common Seal was pressed on bounty certificates. The earliest copy similar to our present seal is on a document of 1885. A modernized version with the words reversed and the date of formation of our county added, is shown here.

No record has been founded of what the symbols stood for. The scales, obviously representing justice appeared on many seals, including the earlier seals of East and West Jersey. The plough usually signified the importance of agriculture. The horse's head may have related to both agricultural and commerce, or it may have been chosen as a symbol of strength. Do the 9 stripes and balls signify the 9 municipalities of 1869?

In July, 1997, The Middlesex County Board of Chosen Freeholders modified the county seal to include the 9 balls, the horse's head and the words reading from left to right.

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