Jay County, Indiana

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www.co.jay.in.us/
www.visitjaycounty.com/

Jay County was formed in 1836. It is the only county in the United States named for John Jay, co-author of the Federalist Papers, Secretary of Foreign Affairs under the Articles of Confederation, and first Chief Justice of the United States. John Jay died in 1829.

Jay County was created by an act of the Indiana General Assembly of February 7, 1835 and organized by a law of January 30, of the following year, effective March 1st. On December 5, 1835, it was ordered by the Board of Commissioners “that the County Seat of Jay County be designated and known by the name of Portland,” – by an act of the Indiana Legislature of January 25, 1843, Portland was incorporated as a town. In 1883, it was incorporated as a city. There are twelve townships in Jay County, namely: Wabash, Bearcreek, Jackson, Penn, Knox, Greene, Wayne, Noble, Madison, Pike, Jefferson and Richland. It was named for John Jay, first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

The County was organized by another act passed, and approved January 30, 1837. In 1821, Peter Studabaker (born in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, in 1790) settled on the south bank of the Wabash River, at what is now New Corydon, Jay County. Here he built a crude cabin, of small round logs. This was the first dwelling erected in the county. There was no other house within thirty-five miles. The first person born in Jay County was Abram Studabaker, in the little cabin on the Wabash River, September 29, 1822.