County Clerk seeks nominations for Clayton and French Awards

Seeking individuals dedicated to preserving Monmouth County’s past

Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon is seeking nominations for the Monmouth County Jane G. Clayton Award and the M. Claire French Award for Leadership in Historic Preservation.  If you know a person or an organization that has gone above and beyond to preserve the history of Monmouth County, nominate that person by July 15.

“The Clayton Award and the French Award will be presented at Archives and History Day on Oct. 13 at the Monmouth County Library Headquarters in Manalapan,” said Clerk Hanlon. “These awards will honor and highlight outstanding individuals who have shown a dedication to Monmouth County history.”

Created in 1997, the Jane G. Clayton Award honors individuals who, over a substantial number of years, have made exceptional contributions to the awareness, understanding or preservation of Monmouth County history. The award is named after former Monmouth County Clerk Jane G. Clayton, who was responsible for the creation of the Monmouth County Archives.

Past winners of the Clayton Award include John Belding, Margaret W. Dellinger, Joseph W. Hammond, Angel and Jack Jeandron, Cheryl A. Cook, Wayne T. Bell, Joseph G. Bilby, Edward J. Raser, Garry Wheeler Stone, Lydia Wikoff, Karen L. Schnitzspahn, Gerald Ceres, Flora T. Higgins, Lee Ellen Griffith, Michael S. Adelberg, Gail L. Hunton, Douglas F. Foulks, Wesley Banse, J. Louise Jost, Mary Lou Strong, and George H. Moss.

The M. Claire French Award for Leadership in Historic Preservation was created in 2015 by Clerk Hanlon and recognizes outstanding achievements of an elected official, government employee, public servant or civic organization in supporting historic preservation in Monmouth County through education, development, planning, rehabilitation, advocacy, community leadership or other means.

Freeholder Deputy Director Lillian G. Burry, Fred Carl, and Middletown Mayor (now Freeholder) Gerry P. Scharfenberger, Ph.D. are the previous winners of the French Award.

Archives and History Day will take place on Saturday, Oct. 13 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Monmouth County Library Headquarters, located at 125 Symmes Drive in Manalapan. Archives and History Day, an annual event since 1996, is organized by the Monmouth County Archives under the direction of Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon. This year’s exhibit focuses on the buildings of historic interest in Monmouth County. The event is expected to once again host more than 60 exhibitors presenting topics related to New Jersey history and their organizations.

Nomination forms for the Clayton and French Awards can be found online at www.MonmouthCountyClerk.com/Archives.

For more information or to request a nomination form by phone or email, please call 732-308-3771 ext. 3776 or email Shelagh.Reilly@co.monmouth.nj.us.