"Ancestrees"

John JAY ^{1 2}

  General Notes:

John is mentioned in 1670 in the will of Reese Morgan, a planter in Barbados. He references him as a Quaker "Friend" who is listed as one of his Executors. In 1671, John Jay, a planter from Barbados, purchased land from Robert Story in Monmouth Co., East Jersey and in 1672 purchased land in the same county from William Shakerly. John wrote his will on Apr. 20, 1672 in Barbados. In it, it states that he is considering departing the island. He names his wife, Hannah Joy, her mother, Ann Seales of Lankishire, England, son, Joseph, executor, and daughter Hannah. He then accompanied George Fox in his survey of the land in 1672. He is mentioned in Fox's journal as "John Jay, a Friend, a pretty, rich planter of Barbados" who traveled with him from Shewsbury, East Jersey to Maryland in 1672. John Jay almost died on the trip and Fox gives the following account of his concern for him "and his large family." John Jay "who came with us and intended to accompany us through the woods to Maryland, being to try a horse, got upon his back; and the horse fell a-running, and cast him down upon his head, and brake his neck, as the people said. They that were near him took him up as dead, carried him a good way, and laid him on a tree. I got to him as soon as I could; and feeling him, saw that he was dead. As I stood by him, pitying him and his family, I took hold of his hair, and his head turned any way, his neck was so limber. Whereupon I threw away my stick and gloves and took his head in both my hands, and setting my knees against the tree I raised his head, and perceived there was nothing out or broken that way. Then I put one hand under his chin, and the other behind his head, and raised his head two or three times with all my strength, and brought it in. I soon perceived his neck began to stiffen, and then he began to rattle in the throat, and quickly after to breathe. The people were amased: but I bid them have a good heart and carry him into the house. They did so, and set him by the fire. I bid them get him some warm thing to drink, and put him to bed. After he had been in the house awhile he began to speak; but he did not know where he had been. The next day we passed away (and he with us, pretty well) about sixteen miles to a meeting at Middletown, through woods and bogs and over a river, where we swam our horses, and got over ourselves upon a hollow tree. Many hundred miles did he travel with us after this. To this meeting came most of the people of the town. A glorious meeting we had, and the truth was over all: blessed by the great Lord God for ever!" (C-854, 855)

John apparently lived a few years after this near death experience. Hannah is listed as a widow in 1677 when she received land from William Shakerly located in Shewsbury, Monmouth Co. East Jersey. John Jay's will was not proven until April 10, 1679 back in Barbados. In 1681 Governor Carteret granted land to Hannah Jay, alias Coon of Shrewsbury, widow of John Jay. Hannah had remarried David Coon. It is highly likely that John Jay died in Jersey where his widow continued to reside. It is also likely that all of his children moved to the colonies as no Barbados' records of Jays have been found after 1700. In 1711, a John Jay witnessed two wills in Salem Co NJ. (E)

There is a John Gay (pronounced Jay) who might possibly be this John Jay or a relative of this John Jay that has a land warrent in Maryland's earliest settlers. (Maryland Archives) "7th March, 1641. Lay out some time before Midsummer next at the furthest for Thomas Petit 200 acres of Land, and for Arthur Hay one hundred acres and for John Gay one hundred acres in any part on the north side of Patuxent river not afore disposed of and this shall be your Warrant." (E)

There is an Auguste Jay (b. 1665) who was enroute from a commercial voyage from Africa when his father, Pierre Jay, a Huegonot (French Protestant) was fleeing from La Rochelle, France to England after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685. Auguste, upon his return, hid with an Aunt Madame Mouchard until he escaped to safety in Barbados. It is possible that he went to Barbados because he was related to John Jay, the Quaker planter, already living there. Auguste had son Peter who started the New York Jays. Peter was the father of the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, John Jay. (C-862)

John married Hannah SEALES, daughter of Unknown and Ann SEALES, about 1645. (Hannah SEALES died after 4/10/1679.)