March 1902
J.J. Jelley was born near Findley, Ohio, July 9, 1847 and his early life was passed on a farm, where he suffered the privations incident to pioneer life. Young Jelley was not allowed educational advantages except those derived from the common school, at that time very inferior. From his 14th year to his 21st he was engaged in logging and all kinds of heavy mill work on his father’s farm; fortunately, however, through this period he was allowed the use of the Findley library which as his present knowledge of literature shows he use to avantage. At the age of 21 Mr. Jelley entered the high school in Findley, where he persued the course for some years.
While Mr. Jelley was at the Findley High School he became interested in music and began studying instrumental and vocal music in the school and attending singing schools in the country. For several years after he left the high school, Mr. Jelley taught day school through the week and singing school on Saturday evening. At that time his purpose was to study and practice law, but as he had ability to teach classes, demands came from far and near that he should take up that line of work. Quite naturally then Mr. Jelley drifted into his present profession.
But that profession must not be entered without preparation. Feeling the necessity for a more extended course in music Mr. Jelley entered the Ohio conservatory of music, where he spent one year then for a series of years he spent the winter teaching and the summer in attending Normal Institutes conducted by Post, Palmer, Emerson, etc. Prof. Jelley now determined to give his whole attention to vocal work and for a number of years studied under Tadden, Norch, Root, Myer.
In 1879 Professor Jelley was elected Director of Musical Department in Ohio Normal University, Ada, Ohio, where he continued ten years. In the spring of 1880 he married Miss Luella Wood, daughter of Judge J. J. Wood, Kenton, Ohio. The first term Professor Jelley spent at Ada he had one pupil, but when he resigned at the end of ten years, the music department enrolled 9 teachers and 480 students. From 1889 to 1899 he was Director of Conservatory of Music in Findley College, and his work here was done with the same degree of enthusiasm and ability. At the end of this time he resigned to the Seminary.
Professor Jelley is a man of marked ability and agreeable personality. He is interested in his work and his enthusiasm is a great motive to study. In the short time he has been here he has built up our Musical Faculty from 2 to 5 and has made the department of music the largest and best in the state. In chorus and class work Professor Jelley is very superior and in his private teaching has enrolled very many famous singers among his pupils. We hope he will continue with the Seminary.
Seminary Collegiate. Vol. 3, #7 (March 1902)