Harper's Encyclopedia of United States History
Benson Lossing, Ed.

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Knox, John Jay 1828-1892

Financier; born in Knoxboro, N. Y., March 19, 1828; graduated at Hamilton College in 1849, and engaged in banking. In 1866 he became connected with the Treasury Department in Washington; and in 1867 was appointed deputy comptroller of the currency; and in 1872 became comptroller. He prepared a bill on coinage which was passed by Congress, and is known as the “Coinage act of 1873.” He retired from public life in 1884, when he became president of a bank in New York City. He was the author of United States notes, or a history of the various issues of paper money by the government of the United States. He died in New York City, Feb. 9, 1892.