Sarah was born in 1756 to Susannah French and William Livingston, patriot & first governor of New Jersey. She was educated at home in penmanship, English grammar, the Bible, and classic literature. At a time when women were usually relegated to the kitchen, she was brought up to be politically aware, even serving at times as her father’s secretary. She married John Jay and became the youngest United States First Lady while Jay served as the President of the Continental Congress in 1779.