15 Facts About James Jay

Sir James Jay was an American physician and politician.

James Jay was brother of John Jay, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.

James Jay moved from France to New York, where he built a successful merchant empire.

James Jay's father, Peter James Jay, born in New York City in 1704, became a wealthy trader in furs, wheat, timber, and other commodities.

James Jay was born in New York City; later the family moved to Rye, New York, when Peter Jay retired from business following a smallpox epidemic that had blinded two of his children.

James Jay studied medicine in Edinburgh, and became a practicing physician.

James Jay's writings include two pamphlets relating to the collections made for the colleges in America and Reflections and Observations on the Gout.

James Jay sat in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th New York State Legislatures.

In 1782, Sir James Jay connived to get himself arrested by the British so he could present a plan of reconciliation with Great Britain, as he was very suspicious of the French.

James Jay was treated as a spy and imprisoned, and his senate seat was declared vacant.

Invisible ink was used occasionally after Sir James invented two special fluids, and sent a supply to his brother John Jay in New York.

Letters from Deane were specially handled by John James Jay who treated them with the particular chemical to make the writing visible; even Robert Morris, American Revolutionary War financier, submitted his Deane letters to James Jay for treatment and kept the invisible ink technique confidential.

James Jay petitioned Congress for repayment of a loan he made during the Revolutionary War, but failed in that as well.

In 1813, Sir James Jay presented a "Narrative" to Congress which insisted that in Europe he worked to implement plans to attack British commerce and ports.

In 1785, after James Jay returned to New York, he was married to Anne Erwin and they lived in Springfield, New Jersey.