(1745-1829)

Who Was John Jay?

John Jay was an American statesman and Founding Father who served in several government offices. Initially wary of the disruption that independence would bring, he soon devoted himself to the American Revolution. Jay served in the Continental Congress, was a diplomat, wrote some of The Federalist Papers and was the first chief justice of the U. S. Supreme Court.

Early Life

Born in New York City, on December 12, 1745, Jay spent his childhood in nearby Rye, New York. Jay came from a wealthy merchant family whose ancestors included French Huguenots. After graduating from King's College in 1764, Jay began a career as a lawyer. He was already well-established in his career by the time that rifts with Great Britain and calls for independence erupted in the colonies.