Jennings Stockton Cox Jr. (November 23, 1866 – August 31, 1913) was an American mining engineer who is said to have invented the drink known as the

daiquiri The daiquiri (; ) is a cocktail whose main ingredients are rum, citrus juice (typically lime juice), and sugar or other sweetener. The daiquiri is one of the six basic drinks listed in David A. Embury's classic ''The Fine Art of Mixing Dri ...

in the late nineteenth century while working as an expatriate engineer in

Cuba Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...

Biography

Cox was born in

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the List of United States ...

on November 23, 1866. He was a descendant of James Cox, an early settler of

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It borders the states of Virginia to its south, West Virginia to its west, Pennsylvania to its north, and Delaware to its east ...

and speaker of the House of Burgess of Maryland. His grandfather was John Nelson McJilton, Baltimore's first Superintendent of Baltimore City Public Schools who was ousted for opening

black school The History of African-American education deals with the public and private schools at all levels used by African Americans in the United States and for the related policies and debates. Black schools, also referred to as "Negro schools" and " ...

s. His father was a stockbroker who served as the president of

New York Athletic Club The New York Athletic Club is a Gentlemen's club, private social club and athletic club in New York (state), New York state. Founded in 1868, the club has approximately 8,600 members and two facilities: the City House, located at 180 Central Pa ...

and was a member of the

New York Stock Exchange The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE, nicknamed "The Big Board") is an American stock exchange in the Financial District, Manhattan, Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. It is the List of stock exchanges, largest stock excha ...

. Cox attended San Francisco High School and Columbia School of Mines, graduating in 1887 as the school's first class of metallurgic engineers. After graduation, he was employed by the Government Survey of the

Harlem Ship Canal Spuyten Duyvil Creek () is a short tidal estuary in New York City connecting the Hudson River to the Harlem River Ship Canal and then on to the Harlem River. The confluence of the three water bodies separate the island of Manhattan from th ...

, and became associated with the Pennsylvania Steel Company and

Carnegie Steel Company Carnegie Steel Company was a steel-producing company primarily created by Andrew Carnegie and several close associates to manage businesses at steel mills in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area in the late 19th century. The company was formed in ...

. From 1897 until his death, he was the general manager of the Spanish-American Iron Company, situated near the village of

Daiquirí Daiquirí () is a small village, 14 miles east of Santiago de Cuba. It became a focal point of the United States invasion of Cuba in the Spanish–American War. Overview Spanish General Arsenio Linares y Pombo ordered the area from Daiquirí to ...

, about 14 miles east south-east of

Santiago de Cuba Santiago de Cuba is the second-largest city in Cuba and the capital city of Santiago de Cuba Province. It lies in the southeastern area of the island, some southeast of the Cuban capital of Havana. The municipality extends over , and contains t ...

Invention of the Daiquiri

It is said that the drink was invented when Cox ran out of gin while entertaining American guests. Wary about serving local rum straight up, Cox added lime juice and sugar to improve the rum’s taste. Consumption of the drink remained localized until 1909, when Admiral Lucius W. Johnson Sr, a US Navy medical officer, tried Cox’s drink. Johnson subsequently introduced it to the Army and Navy Club in

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

, and to ports of call around the world. Through to the navy's supply of vitamins by adding citrus to their rum in hope to defeat scurvy, he amongst other had acquired a taste for citrus. So the success of the newly born Daiquiri at the Army and Navy was enormous.
Other sources
point to Cox creating the drink from his rations of Bacardi, limes, and sugar. His associate, Francesco Domenico Pagliuchi, a Cuban engineer, explained the origin in a 1948 editorial letter in the newspaper El Pais Havana.

Personal life

Cox died on August 31, 1913, in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. He lived in

from the late 1890s until 1913, when failing health prompted him to return to New York. The writer and journalist Richard Harding Davis wrote his novel ''Soldiers of Fortune'' (1897) while a guest at Cox's house (O’Toole, 79). Cox was a member of the

Alpha Delta Phi Alpha Delta Phi (; commonly known as Alpha Delt, AD, ADPhi, A-Delt, or ADP) is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity. Alpha Delta Phi was originally founded as a literary society by Samuel Eells in 1832 at Hamilton College in ...

fraternity,

University Club of New York The University Club of New York (also known as University Club) is a gentlemen's club, private social club at 1 West 54th Street (Manhattan), 54th Street and Fifth Avenue in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Founded to celebra ...

, University Club of Pittsburgh, and the Rainier Club of Seattle.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cox, Jennings People associated with drinks American mining engineers American expatriates in Cuba Columbia School of Mines alumni 1866 births 1913 deaths Engineers from Maryland Lowell High School (San Francisco) alumni

Biography

Invention of the Daiquiri

Personal life

See also

References