From John Jay to Peter Augustus Jay, 5 February 1821
To Peter Augustus Jay
Bedford—5th. Feby. 1821
Dear Peter
I have recd. your Letter of the 2d. Inst,1 and am pleased and gratified with the acct. it gives of John—2 You say nothing of his Health—
Mr. Hunt will doubtless be here soon—the mistake is to be regretted— He may perhaps object to the Trouble and Expense of going to New York to finish the Business—3
Nancy consents to your l[e]asing her Lot for the Time, and on the Terms you mention. She presumes, from its being customary, that the Tenant will pay all Taxes and assessments which may be imposed on the Lot—of this you will take Care—4
I enclose a Letter for Mrs. Watkins, open for your Inspection— Deliver it to Mr. or Mrs. Hamersley for her, sealed.— I understand that she is now at Mrs. Watts’s.—5
Judith Livingston Watkins (Mrs. John Watkyn Watkins) and her granddaughter Lucretia Elizabeth Hamersley, by Charles Cromwell Ingham, n.d. Oil on canvas. (Museum of the City of New York [73.231.1])
If the affairs of the City should be, and should long remain under the Direction and managemt. of Persons who neither have much Interest in the Rights of Property, nor in the amount of public Expenditures, those Proprietors who are deeply interested in both, will be exposed to partial and heavy Burthens— The Freeholders would do well to unite in concerting, and in vigorously prosecuting, proper measures to obviate the Evils alluded to— unanimity Prudence and Perseverance usually give ultimate success to fair and reasonable applications for Relief from oppressive Grievances. A well chosen committee, composed of men from each of the two political Parties, with adequate authority, and with competent Provision for the Expenses incident to their measures, would probably be useful—6
As to Health—we are all much as we were at the Date of my last Letter— My Love to Mary and the Children—tell Helen that I send her a Kiss, and that you will give it to her—I am Dear Peter Your very affte. Father
John Jay
You say Mr. Roosevelt7 delivered the Bond and Mortgage to Mr. Hunt— whence I infer that you still have the agreemt with D. Lavan—8 Would it not save Time and Trouble, if you was to send me ^by the mail of this or the next week^ a Draft of such an assignment as you think adviseable—think whether the Judgmt. should not be included in the assignmt.— If Hunt, in the mean Time, should come here, I will endeavour to satisfy him— I regret you having so much Trouble with this Business—
Peter Augustus Jay Esqr
ALS, NNC (EJ: 11475). Endorsed.
1. Letter not found.
2. John C. Jay.
3. Possibly Richard L. Hunt (1789–1849) of Westchester, son of Thomas Hunt (1727?–1808?), who had inherited real estate in Eastchester from Thomas. See the chancery decree on the estate of Cornelius Moon (whose land was adjacent), Westchester Herald (Ossining), 2 Jan. 1821; American (New York), 9 Jan. 1821.
4. One of Ann Jay’s lots, on the east side of Broadway between Walker and Canal Streets, “[l]eased to James Vincent for 6 years from 1 May 1821 at $150 per Annum.” See PAJ Inventory, June 1821, AD, NNC (EJ: 09162). Possibly “James Vincent, cartman Broome c. Green.”
5. Judith Livingston Watkins, her daughter Susan Brockholst Watkins Hamersley, and son-in-law Thomas Hamersley, parents of her granddaughter Lucretia Elizabeth Hamersley. Mrs. Watkins was either staying with Mary Alexander Watts (1749–1831) of 33 Pearl Street, widow to Robert Watts (1743–1814), and a Livingston cousin or with Mrs. Watt’s daughter-in-law. Mrs. Watts’s son Robert Watts (1784–1830) was married to Matilda Frances Ridley (1789–1862), younger daughter of Catharine Livingston (1751–1813), and Matthew Ridley, hence JJ’s niece. Robert and Matilda’s son Alexander Watts (1815–60), would marry Frances Sedgwick (1822–58), niece of Susan Anne Livingston Ridley (1788–1867), Matilda’s sister.
6. JJ continued to be concerned about tax assessments on Canal Street and Walker Street properties. See JJ to PAJ, 20 May 1818; JJ to PAJ, 12 Oct. 1819; and JJ to PAJ, 30 Oct. 1820, all above. Assessments related to the Canal Street canal, land drainage, the Canal Street sewer (replacing the canal), and trivial items like the assessment for the “Well and Pump in Walker Street near Cortlandt Alley” were confirmed by the Common Council on 22 Jan. 1821. See MCCNYC, 11: 455. See also PAJ Running Account with JJ, 9 July 1822, D, NNC (EJ: 09163); and PAJ Running Account with JJ, 1 Mar. 1826, D, NNC (EJ: 09155).
7. Nicholas J. Roosevelt.
8. Daniel Delavan. See PAJ to JJ, 20 May 1819, above.