John Jay became the first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, part of the early federal history remembered by America250.
President George Washington nominated Jay in 1789, and the Senate confirmed him. Jay took office when the new federal government was being organized under the Constitution and led the Court during its formative years.
The Supreme Court's first session was held in February 1790. The early Court had a much smaller public profile than it later acquired, and its justices also performed duties on federal circuit courts. Jay served as chief justice until 1795.
Jay later became governor of New York and helped negotiate the 1794 treaty with Great Britain known as Jay's Treaty. He was succeeded as chief justice by John Rutledge on an interim basis and then by Oliver Ellsworth. John Marshall, often the best-known early chief justice, took office later in 1801.