Elizabeth Clarkson Jay (1823 - 1895)

Born 2 Jul 1823 in New York, United States

Ancestors

Died 20 Oct 1895 at age 72 in New York County, New York, United States

Biography

Obituary

Jay. —Miss Elizabeth Clarkson Jay. whose life membership dated back to the early days of our Society in November. 1S69. was born in this city at No. 39S Broadway, July 2, 1823. She was a daughter of Peter Augustus Jay, and a grand- daughter of the celebrated Chief Justice, of whom she had the vivid recollection of an unusually intelligent child of six years of age. Miss Jay enjoyed every advantage of education afforded in her native city, and the position in society to which her birth entitled her. She early displayed an interest in biographical and genealogical studies, becoming an authority on the subject of her own family as well as that of the Alexanders, Bayards, Clarksons. and other New York families with whom the Jays were connected. Miss Jay was an occasional contributor to the Society's Record, and always much interested in the success of both. This she evinced even during the last summer of her life when she was in declining health, and spending the season at Richfield Springs, where the writer had frequent conversations with her concerning the prosperity of the Society and its quarterly. Many readers of this brief tribute will remember with what grace and dignity our departed associate pre- sided as chief of the Ladies' Committee at the Afternoon Reception on the occasion of (he celebration in February. 1S94, of the Society's twenty-fifth anniversary, and her delight over its complete success. Miss Jay also took a warm interest in the welfare of the negro, sympathizing in the anti-slavery views of her uncle William and his son, John Jay. For many years she was a manager of the Colored Home and Colored Orphan Asylum ; a visitor to the prisoners in the Tombs, and connected with numerous private and public charities, devoting much of her life to good works among the poor and unfortunate. At her funeral there were not a few present who had been beneficiaries of her kindness. Miss Jay was a member of the New York and other Historical Societies, and much interested in the welfare of the Huguenot Society of America, which owed its origin chiefly to her cousin, John Jay. Her death occurred at her residence. 296 Madison Avenue, on Sunday, October 20, 1895. The funeral services were held at the Church of the Incarnation on the Wednesday following, the President and Vice-President, the editor of the Record, with several members of our Society, showing their appreciation of her character and their respect for her memory by being present among the many representatives of families whose names are identified with the early annals of New York. Miss Jay. who was interred in the family burial place near the ancestral home at Bedford. Westchester County, N. Y , will be much missed in this Society, and by the Church she served so faithfully for more than half a century. J. G.

Sources

Jay Family Bible (research note - this link does not open)

• "United States Census, 1850", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCBD-YB7 : Thu Oct 05 09:49:14 UTC 2023), Entry for Maria Banyer and Ann Banyer, New York City, New York County, New York, United States, 1850.
• "United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGKV-D8Q7 : 16 March 2018), Elizabeth Clarkson Jay, 1875; citing Passport Application, United States, source certificate #, Passport Applications, 10/31/1795 - 12/31/1905., 206, NARA microfilm publications M1490 and M1372 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
• "United States Census, 1880", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZX9-RFP : Fri Oct 06 07:37:14 UTC 2023), Entry for Elizabeth C. Jay, New York City, New York County, New York, United States, 1880.
• "New York, New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2WBZ-N9C : 3 June 2020), Elizabeth Clarkson Jay, Manhattan, New York County, New York, United States, 1895.
• Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/103787405/elizabeth-clarkson-jay: accessed 17 October 2023), memorial page for Elizabeth Clarkson Jay (2 Jul 1823–20 Oct 1895), Find a Grave Memorial ID 103787405, citing John Jay Cemetery, Rye, Westchester County, New York, USA; Maintained by Saratoga (contributor 46965279).
• Elizabeth Clarkson Jay at FamilySearch