The Biographical Dictionary of America/Almy, John Jay

ALMY, John Jay, naval officer, was born in Newport, R. I., April 24, 1814. At the age of fifteen he became a midshipman in the navy, being promoted past-midshipman July 3, 1835, and lieutenant, March 8, 1841. From 1846 to 1850 he was on the Ohio in the Gulf of Mexico and the Pacific ocean, and he was present at the siege of Vera Cruz and the capture of Tuxpan. From 1851 to 1856 he was connected with the coast survey on Chesapeake bay and the coast of Virginia, and North Carolina. In 1857 he was appointed commander of the Fulton, and served first on the coast of Central America and later on an expedition to Paraguay. On April 24, 1861, he was promoted commander, and did service in the North and South Atlantic blockading squadrons, capturing and destroying four blockade runners. He was promoted captain March 3, 1865, and from 1865 to 1867 he was on duty on the coast of Brazil and South Africa as commander of the Juniata. From 1868 to 1869 he was on ordnance duty in the New York navy yard, receiving promotion to the rank of commodore Dec. 31, 1869. He was promoted rear admiral in 1873, and was retired April 24, 1877. He died May 16, 1895.