Circuit Court Diary, 15 April–1 June 1792
Circuit Court Diary
[15 April–1 June 1792]
1792
April 15— Went to Rye— planted 2 Willow Trees—one in the Row between the wash House & orchard Wall—the other nearly opposite to the first between the Locust & Walnut Trees—also planted a Wallnut Tree in the place of a dead Locust, on the West Corner of the Row before the So. Side of the House—
also planted some plumb Trees along the board Fence in the Garden & a pear Tree in the patch
Left at N York 3 pear Trees from Prince1 to be sent to Rye—
ap. 19— went to Bedford— Desired Majr. Lyon to employ 2 men at my Expence for 2 Months in cutting & clearing away Briars & Bushes— Wrote to Mrs. Jay by Alexr.
Do. 23—went to Norwalk—lodged there at majr. marvins—desired him to inquire for 2 Stone fence makers to work on my farm 6 months from apl. next— 1792 23 ap. purchased of him for half a Doll. a Gill of white mulberry Seed.2
24—Dined at Lewis’s3 3 miles west of Stratford.— He told me that many Years ago he was grafting young apple Trees—that a Young Walnut had grown up among them that he grafted it with an apple graft about 3 Inches from the Ground—that it grew, & was now a Tree not less than 3 or 4 Inches in Diameter–that he had practiced with Success a new Way of Grafting— he cuts an oblique Gash into the Side of a small tree or Branch, & in it inserts a Graft cut like a Wedge, then covers the wound with Clay, & ties it with Rope yarn to keep it close—4
went to New Haven—
25 Recd. a Letter from Mrs. Jay—5 opened Court—6
26 ap. 1792 Gave Letters (enclosed to Mrs. Jay) for her—Peter J Munro—& P.A. Jay—7 to Mr Brown,8 Son of my Landlord— he sails this Eveng in the packet— enclosed mulberry Seed in my Letter to her, & the one to my Son— to be planted in my Garden, & in my Brothers at Rye— Gave some of the Seed to Judge Cushing—
27—Mr Barret9 set out for N York in the Stage—requested him to inform Mrs. Jay of my Letters by Mr Brown.
3 may wrote to Mrs. Jay10 pr post—enclosd. a Letter for Col. Troup—& P.J. munro11 to whom I enclosed one for Monsr De Crosses—12
4—Set out for Boston—lodged at Hartford—Avery’s
Judge Law told me at N Haven that he had cured his Leg—by taking for a Week or ten Days a Tea spoon full, every morng before Breakfast of burnt oyster Shell, reduced to a fine powder—for many Months his Leg inflamed, broke out & swelled—& he had in Vain followd. the Prescriptions of his Physicians— this Powder was a thought of his own—
Judge chauncey13 mentioned to me a Singular Case of the Effect of Tobacco Smoke—a Carpenter whom he knew & employed, always fell instantly into Convulsions if Tobacco Smoke reached ^him^ when he was eating—at other Times it was harmless to him— The Judge said he knew it to be true; & ^that^ the Fact was capable of unquestionable Proof—
Learnt sundry anecdotes not proper to be written, but to be remembered—
Jefferson—french aristocracy— Dinner—monmoth—maddison—Glass—Presidt.— V. Presidt.
Mr Hillhouse the Grandfather of the present was a Clergyman from Ireland—14 Doctr. Johnson the 1st. presidt. of N York College was born at Guilford—15 His charities more numerous than was supposed, or is generally suspected—
5 May 1792 came this afternoon to Enfield Lodged at Reynolds—very well—
6 —Heard Mr Pruden16 preach this Morning went this afternoon to Spring field Sent a Letter to the p. office for Mrs. Jay—17 the v. presidt. lodged here—9 Loged at Marlbo^r^ugh—wms—
| 10 Paid Capt. Barnabas Maynard for the Bull calf he sent me— | 20 |
| pd Do. for Driving him & two Heifers to Providence— | 3 |
| paid Capt. wms. for the. 2 Heifers | 21 |
| [total] | 44 Dollrs. |
came to Boston—18
| Recd. Letters—from | Mrs. Jay 6—May19 |
| Col. Troup—2—6 Do.20 | |
| Mr. T. Coxe 17 April— |
13 Sent to post office—Letter to P. Munro—Col. Troup—& 1 to Mrs. Jay covering one from Mr. Bellknap to John Pintard21—& others for Peter A Jay—maria, & Ann Jay—22
14 Mr Gerry sent me a Lettr. from Mrs. Jay of 8 Inst23—covering one from nancy—
19 Gen Jackson24 brought me Letter of 13 from mrs Jay—25
21 May 1792—set out for Portsmouth—
30—Court adj[ourne]d.26
31 arrivd. at Boston, & recd Letters from Mrs. Jay—27 This Evg wrote to her, &c.
1 June—sent Letter to post office enclosing one to the Girls,28 & one to Augustus Jay— Paid Mr. Guild 9.12.0 for 12 of the first Vols. of memrs. of am. academy—29
Recd. a Letter from Mr Belknap30 of this Date inclosing copies Constitution & circular Letter of Historical Society,31 of wh. he is corresponding Secy—and informing me that they had elected me a corresponding Member—32
JJ Circuit Court Diary, 15 Apr.–1 June 1792. AD, NNC: (EJ: 07351). Letters mentioned in the diary that have not been found are generally not identified.
1. William Prince Sr. (1725–1802) established and operated an extensive nursery in Flushing, N.Y.
2. For more on JJ’s instructions regarding the planting of mulberry seeds, see the editorial note “Riding the Circuit,” above.
3. Probably the tavern kept by Stiles Lewis (b. 1742) of Stratford, Conn. Samuel Orcutt, A History of the Old Town of Stratford and the City of Bridgeport Connecticut, vol. 1 (New Haven, 1886), 534.
4. JJ explained the grafting process to PAJ, commenting that it is “singular, and contrary to our modern Ideas” and that he had heard of this practice in the writings of noted Roman agrarian Columella (4–c. 70 CE). JJ to PAJ, 25 Apr. 1792, ALS, NNC (EJ: 06043).
6. The Spring 1792 term for the District of Connecticut Circuit Court convened in New Haven from 25 Apr. to 3 May with JJ, Cushing, and Law presiding. The court heard twenty-three common law cases and three chancery cases. , 1: 322.
7. JJ to SLJ, 24–25 Apr. 1792, , 3: 419–21; JJ to PJM, 24 Apr. 1792, ALS, NNMus (EJ: 00417); JJ to PAJ, 25 Apr. 1792, ALS, NNC (EJ: 06043).
8. This is probably Walter Brown (1771–1807), the eldest son of Jacob Brown.
Map of John Jay’s circuit court travel, Eastern District, Spring 1792 Term (15 April–10 July 1792)
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9. Either Samuel Barrett or Nathaniel Barrett (1743–93), the former American consul at Rouen who now managed a shop in New York offering imported French goods.
10. Letter not found, possibly one dated 30 Apr. that SLJ mentioned receiving in her letter to JJ of 6 May.
11. JJ to Robert Troup, 2 May 1792, below; JJ to PJM, 2 May 1792, ALS, NNMus (EJ: 00418).
12. Letter not found. In his letter to PJM dated 2 May, JJ provided explicit instructions regarding the enclosure for Decrosses: “Say nothing of the enclosed Letter to anyone— Let one of your Clerks deliver it—it ^is to^ the same Gentleman who lived in our Neighbourhood, & thence removed to the place out of Town where the Vice President lived I suspected he has this month removed to Town—where I know not—Let this Letter be personally delivered without Delay, and take the first Opportunity of informing me that is it done.” See also JJ to PJM, 13 May 1792, ALS, NNMus (EJ: 00419). On Germaine Pierre Decrosses, see , 20: 119–21.
13. Charles Chauncey (1747–1823) of New Haven served as a judge of the Superior Court of Connecticut.
14. James Hillhouse (1687–1740) of New London, Conn., was born in Londonderry, Ireland.
15. Samuel Johnson was born in Guilford, Conn.
16. Nehemiah Pruden (1749–1815), served as a Presbyterian pastor in Enfield, Conn., from 1782 to 1815.
17. Letter not found, although SLJ does mention that it came to hand in her letter of 13 May.
18. The Circuit Court for the District of Massachusetts opened in Boston on 12 May and adjourned the following week. JJ was joined on the bench by Cushing and Lowell and delivered a charge to the Grand Jury that was described as “replete with his usual perspicuity and elegance”. The court then heard a prayer offered by Samuel Parker (1744–1804) of Boston’s Trinity Church. The court tried three common law cases. , 1: 321. The local press reported that JA also attended the Circuit Court. Columbian Centinel (Boston), 16 May 1792.
20. Robert Troup to JJ, 2 and 6 May 1792, below.
21. JJ to PJM, 13 May 1792, ALS, NNMus (EJ: 00419). Remaining letters not found.
Rev. Jeremy Belknap (1744–98) was the minister of Boston’s Federal Street Church, historian, and the key founder and corresponding secretary of the Massachusetts Historical Society. The Society was formed in Boston in January 1791 for the purpose of collecting and preserving American antiquities, particularly those of Massachusetts and New England. John Pintard Jr. (1759–1844) was a New York merchant and founder of the New-York Historical Society, an association similar to the MHS that was formed in New York in 1804.
22. JJ to Maria Jay, 7 May, ALS, NNC (EJ: 05937); JJ to PAJ, 9–11 May 1792, ALS, PC: Frederick Jay Wells Manuscripts (EJ: 07345). Remaining letters not found.
24. William Jackson.
26. The Circuit Court for the District of New Hampshire met in Portsmouth from 24 to 28 May with JJ and Cushing in attendance. JJ delivered “an elegant and pertinent charge” to the Grand Jury, and Rev. Joseph Buckminster (1751–1812) of Portsmouth’s North Church recited a prayer before the proceedings. The court heard three common law cases during the session. , 1: 321. New-Hampshire Spy (Portsmouth), 26 May 1792.
27. SLJ to JJ, 23 May 1792, ALS, NNC (EJ: 06549).
29. Benjamin Guild (1749–92), bookseller of Boston, served as the vice treasurer of the American Academy of Arts and Science. JJ was also a member of this organization, having been elected a member in August 1790. JJ acted on behalf of the Academy by serving as a subscription agent, selling its Memoirs of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences: To the End of the Year M,DCC,LXXXIII, vol. 1 (Boston, 1785; , no. 18900).
30. Jeremy Belknap to JJ, 1 June 1792, ALS, NNC (EJ: 05480). JJ aided Belknap by selling his publications in New York and Albany. In 1794, JJ procured thirty subscriptions for Belknap’s two-volume American Biography: Or, An Historical Account of those Persons who have been distinguished in America, as Adventurers, Statesmen, Philosopher, Divines, Warriors, Authors, and other remarkable Characters. Comprehending a Recital of the Events connected with their Lives and Actions (Boston, 1794–98). Four years later, JJ sold twenty copies of the work’s second volume in boards for a dollar and a half each and sent the proceeds to Thomas, Andrews, and Penniman of Albany. JJ to Belknap, 2 May 1794, ALS, MHi (EJ: 04764); Receipt from Thomas, Andrews, and Penniman, Albany, 8 Dec. 1798, D, NNC.
31. Circular Letter, of the Historical Society (Boston, 1791; , no. 46218). For the Constitution of the Massachusetts Historical Society, see Louis L. Tucker, Clio’s Consort: Jeremy Belknap and the Founding of the Massachusetts Historical Society (Boston, 1990), 95–96.
32. For JJ’s acceptance of membership into the Massachusetts Historical Society, see JJ to Belknap, 2 June 1792, ALS, MHi (EJ: 04754). JJ subscribed to the society’s publications and assisted the group with research. Belknap to JJ, 9 Nov. 1795, ALS, NNC (EJ: 05481), and JJ to John Eliot, 8 Oct. 1799, ALS, MHi (EJ: 04798).