Jiggy Nye

Jiggy Nye is the tanner in Williamsburg where Felicity Merriman lives; he is the first owner of Penny.

Facts

 * Name: Jiggy Nye
 * First Appearance: Meet Felicity

Family and Relationships
Jiggy Nye has no living family; his wife has since passed.

Personality
Jiggy Nye is initially a brash, mean drunkard who runs the tannery on the edge of town. He is considered a unreliable, cold-hearted scoundrel who gambles and drinks away his money. Other members of the town do not trust him including Edward Merriman, and he is spoken off in harsh tones. When he drinks too much rum he flies into rages and leaves things undone, including chores. His house is in disarray and the fences around it are falling. Felicity dislikes him more because of his job than his actions, due to her affection for horses and his job of killing them and turning the hides to leather. Due to Jiggy's drinking problem, Mr. Merriman insists he be paid up front for purchases.

Jiggy Nye was good with animals before he became a drunkard. It is later in the series that he cleans up his act, enough that Felicity goes to him to help with Penny's delivery.

Meet Felicity: An American Girl
Jiggy Nye is spoken of first before he is seen; Edward Merriman says that Ben will be delivering a bit and bridal to him. Mrs. Fitchett gossips that Jiggy Nye needs the bit because he got a new horse without paying for it and tells him to warn Ben not to leave the bridal unless he gets payment. Mr. Merriman says he does not take promises of payment from Jiggy Nye anyways. Felicity overhears this conversation and asks her father if Mr. Nye will harm his new horse; Father assues her by saying that he would be foolish to mistreat a good horse.