1776 in New Jersey

This is a list of events in the year 1776 in New Jersey.

Incumbents

 * Colonial governor: William Franklin (until January)
 * Governor: William Livingston (starting August 31st)

Events

 * January 1 – The 3rd New Jersey Regiment is raised at Elizabethtown.
 * June 29 – American Revolution: Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet – The Continental Navy successfully challenges the British Royal Navy blockade off Cape May County.
 * August 13 – The New Jersey Legislative Council is elected, with the New Jersey Provincial Council being succeeded into the Legislative Council.
 * August 27 – The first session of the New Jersey Legislative Council convenes with the Provincial Congress of New Jersey ceased to function under the New Jersey State Constitution.
 * August 31 – William Livingston is sworn in as the first governor.
 * September 16 – The 4th New Jersey Regiment is raised at Elizabethtown.
 * November 20 – American Revolution: Battle of Fort Lee – Invasion of New Jersey by British and Hessian forces and subsequent general retreat of the Continental Army.
 * December 14 – American Revolution: Ambush of Geary
 * December 22–23 – American Revolution: Battle of Iron Works Hill
 * December 25 – American Revolution: At 6 p.m. Gen. George Washington and his troops, numbering 2,400, march to McConkey's Ferry, cross the Delaware River, and land on the New Jersey bank by 3 a.m. the following morning.
 * December 26 – American Revolution: Battle of Trenton: Washington's troops surprise the 1500 Hessian troops under the command of Col. Johann Rall at 8 a.m. outside Trenton and score a victory, taking 948 prisoners while suffering only 5 wounded.

Births

 * January 24
 * Jean-Guillaume, baron Hyde de Neuville, French nobleman, diplomat, physician and politician (d. 1857)
 * Peter Augustus Jay, lawyer and politician (d. 1843)
 * February 1 – William M. Crane, military personnel (d. 1846)
 * March 1 – Elias Moore, politician (d. 1847)
 * March 3 – James Parker, surveyor, and politician (d. 1868)
 * March 21 – John Frederick Frelinghuysen, general and lawyer (d. 1833)
 * April 3 – Elias B. Caldwell, clerk (d. 1825)
 * July 5 – Bernard Smith, politician (d. 1835)
 * September 5 – Stephen Whitney, merchant (d. 1860)
 * December 7 – Reuben Whallon, businessman and politician (d. 1843)

Undated

 * Hetty Reckless, runaway slave (d. 1888)
 * Joshua Shaw, English [later naturalised as American] artist and inventor (d. 1860)

Deaths

 * March 30 – Jonathan Belcher, lawyer, and chief justice (b. 1710)
 * June 29 – Richard Wickes, military personnel (b. unknown)
 * October 9 – Philip Vickers Fithian, tutor (b. 1747)
 * August 27 – Philip Johnston, military personnel and patriot (b. unknown)
 * December 14 – Francis Geary, British Army officer (b. 1752)
 * December 27 – Johann Rall, German colonel

Undated

 * Pierre Abraham Lorillard, French-American tobacconist (b. 1742)
 * Garrat Noel, bookseller and educator (b. 1706)
 * Joseph Sharp, early settler, landowner, supporter of education, iron manufacturer and industrialist (b. 1708)