James P. Aykroyd
James P. Aykroyd (1810– July 1835 in Nashville, Tennessee) was an early American composer, arranger, and music educator of piano, organ, and voice in New Bern, North Carolina, Raleigh, North Carolina, and Nashville, Tennessee. He also owned a general store — first in New Bern, then in Nashville — selling dry goods, groceries, sheet music, and musical instruments – including pianos. In New Bern, Aykroyd was the organist and choir director at the 1824 dedication of the then newly constructed Christ Episcopal Church. Music in North Carolina. In nearly every North Carolina village where there was an academy there was  also a music teacher, an art teacher, and sometimes a dancing teacher. In some of these towns, such as New Bern, Raleigh, Greensboro, and Wilmington, there were music teachers independent of academy patronage. Aykroyd's general store was "One door North of the Bank of Newbern." Aykroyd, as early as August 11, 1821, advertised in the "Newbern Sentinel:" In 1823, Aykroyd, then of New Bern, "respectfully informed the citizens of Hillsboro and its vicinity that he intended giving lessons in music there during the summer months." His terms were "for the Piano, twelve dollars a quarter, for lessons every other  week; and three dollars for vocal music, two lessons every other week." In 1826, Aykroyd posted an announcement in the "Raleigh Register": <poem>J. AYKROYD, PROFESSOR OF MUSIC, From Newbern RESPECTFULLY informs the inhabitants of Raleigh, that, agreeably to the purpose which he made known in a former advertisement, he has arrived here and will commence the duties of his profession as soon as a sufficient number of pupils shall be obtained. A subscription paper is left in the hands of Gen. B. Daniel. June 7, 1826 — "Raleigh Register", June 13, 1826</poem> In Nashville, until his death  in 1835, Aykroyd had a large music store on Union Street, near the Union Bank. Selected compositions. From the Thomas Alva Edison Collection of American Sheet, Music Library of the University of Michigan Sample sheet music that Aykroyd sold. Aykroyd used an ink stamp to identify himself as a music dealer on the sheet music he sold. It read: Sold by JAMES AYKROYD, "Teacher of Music", New Bern. "Where are sold, Music and Instruments of every description." A sample of the sheet music sold and stamp he used is at the Music Library of the University of North Carolina at  Chapel Hill; "viz:" "The Blue Bell of Scotland," with variations for the piano forte or harp (a new edition) by Jean Tatton Latour (1776–1840), published by George E. Blake, Philadelphia Musical family. James married Elizabeth Bettner (died 12 March 1869). James and Elizabeth were married on July 12, 1824, in New Bern, Craven County, North Carolina. Elizabeth was a music teacher in both New Bern and Nashville. Elizabeth's will was filed July 10, 1869, in Will Book 21, Page 345, Davidson County, Tennessee. James and Elizabeth Aykroyd had four children, all born in New Bern: Eliza Jane McKissack and  Maria Caroline Cauthorn (born 20 June 1831, New Bern, North Carolina; died 17 September 1894) taught music. Maria had married Benjamin F. Cauthorn (born 20 July 1836, Virginia; died 1 June 1902); both were buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery, Nashville, Tennessee. Maria was a music teacher in Nashville. Maria's will was filed September 1894 in Will Book 32, Page 438, Davidson County, Tennessee. Eliza Jane McKissack was the founding head of music (1890) at what now is the University of North Texas College of Music. Miscellany. Aykroyd is listed as an 1823 member of the Dialectic Society. Death. Aykroyd  died in early July 1835 in Nashville "from the effects of laudanum" and was buried July 5, 1935. The community held a benefit for his children, for which an announcement was posted in the "Nashville Banner and Nashville Whig," October 12, 1835.