Scope and arrangement
The John T. Smith diaries, 1884-1894 (in 10 volumes), document the daily activities and thoughts of an energetic and alert young New Yorker, presenting a panorama of New York City life at a time of great urban expansion and social change.
The diaries date 1884 Jan 1-1890 Oct 28; 1892 Jun 15-1893 Jun 15; and 1894 Mar 7-Dec 31, ranging from his school days at the De La Salle Institute and Manhattan College, to the sharing of business responsibilities with his brothers Edward and George after their father's death in 1890. A volume entitled "Sojourns," 1884-1889, contains extended entries devoted to summer excursions to Asbury Park, New Jersey; Patchogue, Long Island and elsewhere; and to Washington, D.C. to attend the presidential inauguration of Benjamin Harrison (1889). Trips noted in the diaries include a train trip through the South to attend the Sullivan-Corbett heavyweight championship in New Orleans (1892), and a stormy voyage to Bermuda (1893).
In addition to describing his family life, his various health problems, and the books he has read, diary entries show Smith's great love of amateur and professional sports (particularly baseball and boxing) and performing arts (including drama, burlesque and opera), and his travels near and far to attend such events. An avid walker, he documents his walking and transit routes throughout the metropolitan area, and any incidents and sights along the way. His diaries witness the City's rapid growth on the eve of its consolidation in 1898, the change from horse cars to cable cars, the gradual spread of electric lighting, and the introduction of Edison's kinetoscope (1894 Apr 14). There are brief notes on broader topics such as political corruption, women's rights, the flu pandemic in 1890, social unrest, and the economic impact of the Panic of 1893. Photographs of John T. Smith pasted in the 1892-1893 diary and diary entries indicate a family interest in popular photography. Some diaries contain address lists and cash accounts.