My Genealogy Hound

HAMILTON S. JAYCOX (deceased) was born at Cold Spring, N. Y., March 10, 1836, and was educated at Patterson and Amenia, N. Y. In 1853 he was apprenticed as a machinist at West Point foundry, Cold Spring, N. Y. In the fall of 1859 he went to Cuba, where he served as engineer on sugar-estates until the summer of 1870. He then entered the employ of the National Tube-works company, East Boston, Mass., as a machinist, and after the company had moved its works to McKeesport, he was, in 1874, transferred to this city, and given the position of foreman of the threading department, and afterward made general inspector, which office he filled up to the time of his death. At an early age Mr. Jaycox developed a natural taste for music, and under the instructions of a brother became so proficient that at the age of ten years he could read music readily. He had charge of the Reformed and Methodist Church choirs at Cold Spring, N. Y., and after locating in East Boston took charge of the choir of the First Presbyterian Church, and was the organizer and director of the Maverick Male quartet, which ranked among the first in that vicinity. He was director of the East Boston chorus, which took such a prominent part in the World’s Peace jubilee at Boston, Mass., in 1872, and conducted rehearsals for that occasion in the First Presbyterian church of East Boston, having, at that time, the direction of over seven hundred voices.

After locating in McKeesport, he had charge of the First Presbyterian choir, and afterward had charge of St. Peter’s choir for seven years. He was celebrated as a manager of concerts, and many such entertainments were prepared by him and brought successfully before the public. He was organizer and director at different times of the Apollo club, McKeesport Operatic company, Alliquippa quartet, and, at the time of his death, was leader and director of the Alpine quartet. He was also the organizer and conductor of Blue Ribbon choral union, composed of one hundred members, by whom he had produced one successful concert, and died on the eve of the culmination of one of his most cherished hopes, a concert to be given by the “Union” on March 10, 1888 (his fifty-second birthday). He died March 5, 1888, honored and respected by all who knew him.