 "He received a good education and was a man of extraordinary energy and versatility of talent. He was in the sanguinary battle near Lake George, Sept. 8, 1755, when at the age of 19, and in 1756 was clerk in Capt. Samuel Robinson's Company in the French war at Fort Edward.
"He studied medicine and soon after 1760 commenced practicing the healing art in Hardwick, ranking high as a physician and still higher as a politician and patriot. He practiced several years, also taught school, residing at the place marked 'Mr. Wesson' on the Ruggle's map.
"May 19, 1761, he purchased 4 1/2 acres of land in Hardwick near the 10 acres that were 'reserved for a burial place, a training field, and to set a meeting house on.' In 1761 he was called Ensign on the town records. Sept. 23, 1762, he was one of ten who were licensed as innholders in the town of Hardwick, 'during the time by law appointed for keeping the "Fair" in said town who recognized.' He was assessor 1766 and 1767.
"He removed to Bennington, Vt., in 1768, residing in a house that stood on the Blue Hill, a mile south of the meeting house, and at once became conspicuous as a physician, a leading politician, and occupied a prominent position among the settlers on the 'N.H. Grants' as well in the contests with N.Y. as in that of the mother country and also in the organizatio of the state government. In 1772 when Gov. Tryon of N.Y. invited the people of Bennington to send agents to N.Y. to inform him of the grounds of their complaint, he (and his father) were appointed for that purpose.
"He was clerk to the convention of settlers that met Mar., 1774; resolved to defend by force, Allen, Warner and others, who were threatened with outlawry and death by the N.Y. assembly; and as such clerk, certified their proceedings for publication.
"He was surgeon in a regiment of 'Green Mountain Boys' at the capture of Ticonderoga and the expedition of Allen and was continued in that position by the committee of the Mass. congress who were sent to the lake in July, 1775, and also was appointed by them to muster the troops as they arrived for the defense of that post. He was also surgeon for a time to Col. Warner's regiment.
"In Jan., 1776, he was clerk to the convention at Dorset that petitioned congress to be allowed to serve in the common cause of the country as the inhabitants of the N.H. Grants and not under N.Y., and was also clerk of the convention held in the same place in July following. He was a member of the convention which met at Westminster in Jan., 1777, and declared Vermont to be an independent state and was appointed chairman of a committee to draw up a declaration and petition announcing the fact, and their reasons for it, to congress; of which declaration and petition he was the draughtsman and author.
"He was secretary to the convention that formed the constitution of the state in July, 1777, and was one of the 'Council of Safety' then appointed to administer the affairs of the state until the assembly provided for by the constitution should meet. It was this 'Council of Safety' which assembled in the 'Catamount Tavern' on the day of the battle of Bennington, Aug. 16, 1777. 'Jonas Fay was vice president and one of the most active members. There were gather there, Ira Allen, Thomas Chittenden, Jones Fay, and their staunch comrades. There was one Catamount on the signpost and twelve Catamounts within.'
"He was also a member of the State Council for 7 years from 1778, a judge of the supreme court in 1782, judge of probate from 1782 to 1787 and was one of the three side judges Sept. 11, 1782 for the trial of prisoners in a special term of the superior court held at Westminster, Vt., and Moses Robinson was chief judge.
"Jonas Fay was a member of the continental congress at Philadelphia as the agent of the state, under appointments made in Jan., 1777, Oct., 1779, June, 1781 and Feb., 1782.
"On the occurrence of the birth of twin sons, Jan. 12, 1779, he named one of them, Ethan Allen, and the other Heman Allen after his two friends of those names.
"Dr. Fay was a man of extensive general information, decided in his opinions and bold and determined in maintaining them. His education was such as to enable him to draw with skill and ability the public papers of the day of which many besides the Declaration of Independence before mentioned, he was the reputed author. IN 1780 he, in conjunction with Ethan Allen, prepared and published a pamphlet of 30 pages on the N.H. and N.Y. controversy which was printed at Hartford, Connecticut.
"After the year 1800 he removed to Charlott, for a few years, and afterward to Pawlett, but returned again to Bennington where he died, Mar. 6, 1818 aged 82 years."
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