Pierre Jay - Boston, MA
Posted by: 
neoc1
N 42° 21.496 W 071° 03.794
19T E 330086 N 4691617
A tablet containing a large relief portrait of the first Massachusetts Banking Commissioner, Pierre Jay, is located in a narrow hallway just inside the General Hooker Entrance of the Massachusetts State House at 24 Beacon Street in Boston, MA
Waymark Code: WMN36A
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 12/17/2014
Views: 5
Pierre Jay was born on May 4, 1870 in Warwick , NY. He graduated from Yale University and rose to become the Vice President of Old Colony Trust Co., Boston. In 1906, he was appointed the Bank Commissioner of Massachusetts where he was instrumental in creating credit union legislation in Massachusetts, leading to the passage of the Massachusetts Credit Union Act on April 15, 1909 that was the first legislation enabling the formation of credit unions in the United States. In 1913, Jay became the first chairman of the newly formed New York Federal Reserve.
A 39.5" by 7.75" by 1.5" bronze plaque honors Pierre Jay and commemorates the enactment of the Massachusetts Credit Union Act of 1909. The plaque contains a large 3/4 left side relief portrait of Pierre Jay. Pierre Jay is shown from the shoulders up and wearing a business suit and tie. The sculpture was created by Ralph Cooper in 1959 and installed on the first floor hallway of the Massachusetts State House by the Credit Union League of Massachusetts, Inc. The tablet is inscribed:
{Large image of Pierre Jay}
PIERRE JAY
FIRST BANK COMMISSIONER
OF
THE COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS
ERECTED
IN GRATEFUL MEMORY OF THE MAN
WHOSE VISION, COURAGE AND DETERMINATION
GAVE TO MASSACHUSETTS
THE FIRST CREDIT UNION LAW IN THE UNITED STATES
ON THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ITS ENACTMENT
MAY 21, 1909
BY THE CREDIT UNION LEAGUE OF MASSACHUSETTS, INC.
1959
The Massachusetts State House at 24 Beacon Street in Boston is open to the public Monday through Friday from 10 am to 4 pm. All visitors must enter through the General Hooker entrance.