Town of Jay

On March 12^th, 1797, the boundaries of the new Town of Jay (named after John Jay, governor of New York) were set when the town was set off from Willsborough. Previously know as Mallory’s Bush for one of its earliest permanent settlers, Nathaniel Mallory, Jay NY’s settlements grew quickly with early forges, gristmills and sawmills being constructed. As lumbering flourished in the forests, industrial development was growing in Au Sable Forks. In 1825, an entire town began to develop in Au Sable Forks where the east and the west branch river converge. There are three Hamlets in the Township consisting of Au Sable, Jay and Upper Jay.

The first image of Jay is often a view of the Au Sable River running through the landscape, which has also played a role in the successes and disasters that have struck the town.

Flooding over the years has resulted in numerous businesses and homes being damaged. Many families were forced to move out of their homes and businesses closed. The most devastating effect on our community economically was the closing of the legendary Arto Monaco’s Land of Make Believe Amusement Park in the early 1970’s due to repeated flooding.

The Jay Hamlet is home to the beautiful Jay Village Green which houses the Historical Band Stand; The historical Jay Covered Bridge removed in May 1997, that has now been restored and replaced back across the river in the fall of 2006 as a bicycle/pedestrian bridge; and A new bridge 400’ down stream from the covered bridge, that opened in August 2006.

Town of Jay Supervisors

          1800              Ezekiel Lockwood                                             1862                George S. Potter

          1801-1802     John Cochrane                                                 1863-1867      Gardner Pohe

          1803              John Douglass                                                                   1868-1869       Henry Smith

          1804-1805     Robert Otis                                                      1870-1872      Henry D. Graves  

          1806-1807     Ely Stone                                                         1873               Gardner Pohe

          1808-1811     Joseph Storrs                                                   1874-1875     Henry M. Prime

          1812              Jonas B. Wood                                                  1876              Richard D. Mc Intyre

          1813-1815    Joseph Storrs                                                    1877               Henry Smith

          1816             William Finch                                                   1878                A.S. Prime 

          1817-1818    Reuben Sanford                                                1879-1880     Amos Bosley

          1819             Joseph Storrs                                                    1881              Spencer G. Prime 

          1820             Reuben Sanford                                                1882              John C. DeKalb

          1821-1826    Joseph Storrs                                                    1883-1884     Silas W. Prime

          1827            William Wells                                                    1885              Fred E. Trumbull

          1828            Joseph Storrs                                                     1886-1888     Louis F. Robare

          1829            William Wells                                                   1889-1890     Eugene S. Parmerter  

          1830-1831   Isaac Vanderwarker                                          1891-1892     F.O. Bartlett   

          1832-1836    Joseph Storrs                                                   1893              Fred C. Mihill 

          1837            Thomas Brewster                                              1894-1895      Richard L. Trumbull 

          1838             Joseph Storrs                                                   1896-1897      Amos Bosley 

          1839             Josiah W. Hewitt                                              1898               E.W. Featherston  

          1840             John Purmort                                                   1899-1908     Charles H. Cutler

          1841             Jesse Tobey, Jr.                                                 1909-1913      Raymond T. Kenyon 

          1842-1843    Benjamin Wells                                               1914-1935      Fred A. Torrance

          1844             Josiah W. Hewitt                                              1936-1952      Dr. J.D. Smith

          1845-1846    William H. Butrick                                           1953-1965      Dr. J.W. Scott 

          1847-1848    Daniel Blish                                                    1966-1972      Arthur J. Douglas

          1849             Thomas D. Trumbull                                        1973-1980      Thomas A. Douglas 

          1850             Samuel West                                                   1980-1991      Paul Savage 

          1851             Thomas D. Trumbull                                        1992-1997      Vern McDonald  

          1852             Daniel Blish                                                     1998-1999      Thomas A. Douglas

          1853            Monroe Hall                                                     2000              Dorothy E. Madden              

          1854             Herman G. Powers                                           2001-2003      Thomas A. O'Neill

          1855             Jermiah B. Briggs                                              2004-Present   Randall T. Douglas

          1856             Samuel West

          1857-1859    Nathaniel C. Boynton

          1860             Henry D. Graves

          1861             Nathaniel C. Boynton

 The Jay Website is dedicated In Memory of :

Supervisor Thomas Douglas 1972-1980 & 1998-2000

                                     (Whose Original Encouragment and Vision Helped Make This Website Project                                A Reality For The Townspeople of Jay) & Special Thanks To Terry Young, Original  Town of Jay Web Designer  & Counciperson Amy Shalton  for making Former Supervisor Thomas Douglas' Website Exist

                      SPecial Thanks to Jaime Rose Douglass, Susan Richards and Carol Hackel for                                             Enhancing the "New Face" of the Town of Jay Website