New Rockford Transcript - Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883

John Jay: first Chief Justice, diplomat, founding era giant

When the newly-elected President George Washington turned his attention to the historic opportunity of nominating citizens to fill seats on the first U.S. Supreme Court in 1789, he knew exactly whom he wanted to name the nation’s first Chief Justice: John Jay.

Jay enjoyed Washington’s confidence in a way few of his contemporaries...