JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground
HTML
<select class="dropMenu">
<option value="1">One</option>
<option value="2">Two</option>
<option value="3">Three</option>
<option value="4">Four</option>
</select>
JavaScript
var arr = [
{val : 1, text: 'One'},
{val : 2, text: 'Two'},
{val : 3, text: 'Three'},
{val : 4, text: 'Four'}
];
var sel = $('<select class="dropMenu">').appendTo('body');
$(arr).each(function() {
sel.append($("<option>").attr('value', this.val).text(this.text));
});
setTimeout(function() {
$('.dropMenu option:nth-child(1)').attr('disabled', 'disabled');
}, 1);