The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Jay, James

JAY, Sir James, American physician, brother of John Jay (q.v.): b. New York, 27 Oct. 1732; d. Springfield, N. J., 20 Oct. 1815. He studied medicine and established himself as a physician. He was associated with Rev. Dr. William Smith in 1755 in securing an endowment for the present University of Pennsylvania; and in 1762, while on a visit to England, he represented to George III the need for higher education in the colonies, and was successful in securing funds for the endowment of King's College, now Columbia University. He was knighted in 1763. He was prominent in the passage of the New York act of attainder, and was imprisoned during the British occupation of New York, but was released in 1782 upon the arrival of Sir Guy Carleton. Author of two pamphlets concerning the collections of funds for colleges (1771, 1774); and ‘Reflections and Observations on the Gout’ (London 1772).