John Jay: Founding Father

Walter Stahr

Continuum International Publishing Group, Mar 15, 2005 - History - 482 pages

John Jay was a central figure in the early history of the American Republic. A New York lawyer, born in 1745, Jay served his country with the greatest distinction and was one of the most influential of its Founding Fathers. In the first full-length biography in almost seventy years, Walter Stahr brings Jay vividly to life, setting his astonishing career against the background of the American Revolution.

Drawing on substantial new material, Walter Stahr has written a full and highly readable portrait of both the public and private man. It is the story not only of John Jay himself, the most prominent native-born New Yorker of the eighteenth century, but also of his engaging and intelligent wife, Sarah, who accompanied her husband on his wartime diplomatic missions. This lively and compelling biography presents Jay in the light he deserves: as a major Founding Father, a true national hero, and a leading architect of America's future.

What people are saying

Review: John Jay: Founding Father

User Review  - Brian - Goodreads

Walter Stahr provides an excellent look at this often forgotten founding father. Jay was the lawyer of his day serving on the New York Supreme court and eventually first chief Justice of the US ...

Review: John Jay: Founding Father

User Review  - Jessica Petree - Goodreads

This was a book that was a bit dry, but absolutely fascinating nevertheless. I found out that John Jay was a truly interesting and inspiring person.

Contents

• New York: 1
• The Law: 17
• Resistance Leader: 33
• Revolutionary Leader: 65
• President of the Continental Congress: 91
• Minister to Spain: 121
• Peace Commissioner: 145
• American in Paris: 175
• Secretary for Foreign AVairs: 197
• Home and Society: 223
• Federalist: 241
• First Chief Justice: 271
• Envoy to England: 313
• Governor of New York: 339
• Retirement: 365
• Conclusions: 385

About the author

WALTER B. STAHR is an international lawyer with alongstanding interest in the history of the American Revolution. Agraduate of Stanford University, he also studied at Harvard, where hewas editor-in-chief of the Harvard Environmental Law Review, and the Kennedy School of Public Policy. After working in Hong Kong, he spent some years as special counsel and principal speechwriter to SEC Chairman Richard Breeden.

Currently Walter Stahr lives in northern Virginia with his wife and two children and is General Counsel of EMP Global, based inWashington DC, responsible for legal issues across the range of the firm'sfunds and activities.

Bibliographic information

• Title: John Jay: Founding Father
• Author: Walter Stahr
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: Continuum International Publishing Group, 2005
• ISBN: 1852854448, 9781852854447
• Length: 482 pages
• Subjects: Biography & Autobiography / Historical; History / United States / Colonial Period (1600-1775); History / United States / General; History / United States / Revolutionary Period (1775-1800)