To John Jay from Sarah Livingston Jay, 7 July 1794
From Sarah Livingston Jay
New York, 7th July 1794
My dr. Mr. Jay
Mr. Le Roy tells me that a ship will sail for Amsterdam tomorrow, & as I cannot hear of any destined for England, I have determined to write you a few lines being sensible how grateful it will be to you to hear of the continued health & welfare of your family & friends— Maria Ann & William have been ten days at Rye with their Uncle & Aunt— little Sarah & myself are alone, sister Ridley not being yet arrived— Johnny Lyon came to Town today— he has not told me yet what sum he’ll want tho’ I believe it will be pretty considerable— The Mill is raised & about under cover— the freshets which have been the last month excessive have not injured it in the least— He is very sanguine about the importance of your Mill & thinks that when it is completed it will be very beneficial to the Country & lucrative to you— Your opinion of Mrs. Lyon’s death I believe was but too well founded her loss to her husband & the farm will not be soon or easily repaired— He seems to think his Father too much Abroad & domestic concerns too much neglected—1
Mr. Grant’s business is not yet settled, when it is it will give me pleasure to inform you of it—2
I will inclose a piece of intelligence from the Minerva of the 6th. inst. that may perhaps be useful to you—3 Remember me most affectionately to Peter & be assured the best wishes & ^most ardent^ prayers for your health, happiness & success & for your safe & speedy return to your Country, family & friends shall be unceasingly offered by your affectionate wife
Sa. Jay
Via Amsterdam—
DftS, NNC (EJ: 06557). Endorsed. Notation on final page: “Mrs. Jay accepts with / Pleasure Mr.-& Mrs. Bayarrd’s polite invitation / to dinner on Tuesday next. / Wednesday 2d. July—” Enclosure not found.
1. John Lyon, son of Samuel Lyon. Which Mrs. Lyon is referred to is unclear. The first Mrs. Samuel Lyon, Mary Lounsberry Lyon, is listed as dying in January 1792. The date of the death of the second Mrs. Lyon, Elizabeth Fleming Lyon, is not indicated. Nor is a death date given for the wife of John Lyon, Sally Smith Lyon, but it is after his death in 1820. See North Castle History, 13 (1986): 17.
2. For the business with the Grants, see PJM to JJ, 15 June 1794, above, and the editorial note “John Jay’s Mission to London,” above.
3. The New York-based American Minerva was edited by Federalist Noah Webster Jr. However, it was not published on 6 July 1794, a Sunday. Possibly the issue referred to, is that for 5 July, which recorded toasts regarding JJ’s negotiations given at Fourth of July events in New York.