To John Jay from Peter Jay, early 1763
From Peter Jay
[Rye, early 1763]1
Dear Johnny
You may read my Letter that covers this, to your Aunts Depeyster & Chambers,2 to prevent any exceptions at what we propose abot. Peter,3 and let them act therein as they think best—
Make my Complimts. to Doctr. Johnson4 and tell him that I’m very sorry for Mr. Punderson’s & the Peoples disappointmts:, and ^that^ I wish it mayn’t prove unfortunte: as the People are greatly prejudiced in favr: of Mr. Punderson, and consequently Mr. Palmer will come here undr: great disadvantages, & I’ve not devulg’d his appointmts: to any Body, lest it should affect our Subscriptions now collectg: to accommodate a Minister in a Confortable manner.
Order matters so that Fady may return back again a Wednesday Morning from Town, and take as much Rateen,5 the same as yr. Coat lining, &ca—as will make Peter a Coat & Send it by Fady.6
Make my Complimts. to Cousin Augs. Van Cortland7 & tell I forgot to desire him to pay ^you^ my Share of the money, when he received it, for the mile Lot at the Balts. I shall soon, if necessary, send you an order on Hays for a quartrs. Rent, let me know whether Mr. Holliwood has paid you.8 I am dr Johnny, Yrs.
P. J.
if it should be necessary for Fady to take care of Peter in Town, he shall be sent with him, On receipt of my Letter desire leave of Mr. Johnson to go immediately to yr. Aunts and to provide for Peter’s coat, that Fady may be dispatch’d back again as soon as possible.
Send the inclosed for yr. Brother pr. the Barker.9
ALS, NNC (EJ: 7856). Endorsed: “1764. P. Jay.” Enclosure: Peter Jay to Margaret De Peyster and Anne Chambers, not located. Second enclosure not identified.
1. This is the first extant letter addressed to JJ. Although this document is endorsed “1764 P.J.” in JJ’s hand, the contents of the letter suggest a much earlier dating. Although the S.P.G. had appointed Solomon Palmer as minister to Rye, Samuel Johnson did not receive notice of this action until January. He wrote to the S.P.G. begging the society to appoint Punderson instead. It was at this time that PJ learned of Palmer’s appointment. The Rye parishioners wrote their letter of unwelcome to Palmer on 21 Feb. 1763. Later in 1763, Johnson negotiated a solution, with Palmer succeeding Punderson in New Haven. Johnson to Daniel Burton, 27 Jan. 1763, UkLLPa, Society for the Propagation of the Gospel: Letters, Series B, 2, 268; Letters, Series C; Journals, 15: 393. For the correspondence between Samuel Johnson and Peter Jay, see above, Johnson to PJ, 24 Sept. 1762, and PJ to Johnson, 28 Sept. 1762 (EJ: 13117); PJ to Johnson, Nov. 1762 (EJ: 13119), and Johnson to PJ, 19 Oct. (EJ: 13112), 27 Oct. (EJ: 13113), 28 Nov. (EJ: 13115), and 1 Dec. 1762 (EJ: 13122), and 4 Aug. 1763 (EJ: 13116).
2. Margaret Van Cortlandt De Peyster and Anne Van Cortlandt Chambers, the sisters of JJ’s mother.
3. JJ’s blind elder brother, Peter Jay.
4. The Reverend Dr. Samuel Johnson.
5. Rateen: a type of woolen twill cloth.
6. JJ’s younger brother, Frederick Jay.
7. Augustus Van Cortlandt (1728–1823), son of Françoise Jay Van Cortlandt.
8. Judah Hays (1703–64), a well-known Jewish merchant, was Peter Jay’s tenant in a building on the corner of Stone and Broad Streets. Holliwood, who has not been identified further, was apparently another Jay tenant. David De Sola Pool, Portraits Etched in Stone: Early Jewish Settlers, 1682–1831 (New York, 1952), 471–74.
9. Barker has not been identified.