Diaries of Robert McKnight, 1842-1843, 1846-1847 [electronic resource].

ArchivalResource

McKnight, Robert, 1820-1885. Diaries of Robert McKnight, 1842-1843, 1846-1847 [electronic resource].

Diaries of Robert McKnight, 1842-1843, 1846-1847 [electronic resource].

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/671398793

McKnight's personal diaries are in the form of two bound volumes. The first volume of the diary begins on January 1, 1842 and ends on December 31, 1843, while the second volume begins on February 18, 1846, and ends on May 29, 1847. The diaries give detailed glimpses into the daily life of a rising lawyer from a well-to-do family in the nineteenth century. McKnight is diligent about recording his activities and reactions to events that garner local and national attention, also commenting on personal matters, such as births, deaths, parties, social calls, and marriages of family and friends. In both volumes McKnight details the routines of daily life, discussing his work habits, mealtimes, naps, bathing and grooming habits, books he read, hours spent riding his horse, Tip; and other details. Simple tasks are recorded, as are descriptions of illnesses, particularly his father's, whom he writes of caring for; home remedies; and trips to the dentist. McKnight also makes references to prominent families in the Pittsburgh area. Names such as Biddle, Darlington, Denny, Bakewell, Bayard, Herron, Wilkins, Phillips, Knox, Ormsby, McCandless, O'Hara, Scully, Acheson, and so on, make regular appearances in his entries. McKnight regularly speaks of working for Richard Biddle and preparing to take the bar. He describes the transcription of depositions, General O'Hara's will, and watching courtroom proceedings. Descriptions of his studies, with topics such as "Payment of Debt," and of new laws, such as the Bankrupt Law, are included in the diary. He marks important events, noting when he passes the bar, his first appearance in court, and his unanimous election as solicitor for the Bank of Pittsburgh. Observations are made on the state of the country, such as remarking about the distress facing banks at the time, as evidenced by the closure of some banks in Philadelphia. At one point McKnight remarks, "Our legislative assemblies are filled with bullies, blacklegs, & assassins," after reading of numerous arguments between members of the House of Representatives. Comments are also made on the war between the United States and Mexico in 1846. Scandals that shocked society do not go without mention. Many references are made to one of the biggest scandals of the day, Mary Croghan's elopement to Captain Edward Schenley and their subsequent flight from the United States to England. The elopement was so well known and scandalous that Mary, whose social status allowed her to request an audience with the Queen, was denied presentation at court due to her actions. McKnight writes that Mary was a student at the school of Mrs. McLeod, on Staten Island, and the "man who took Mary away" was her nephew. McKnight remarks that Mrs. McLeod must have "countenanced & abetted the whole affair as Miss Croghan was worth in her own right over $1.000.000, and such a sweet morsel was not to be caught everyday." He notes that lawmakers eventually passed legislation, prepared by Biddle, giving Mr. Croghan the ability to pass his daughter's estate directly on to her children, cutting Captain Schenley out of any inheritance. McKnight frequently writes of well-known figures that capture his interest, remarking on the activities of Washington Irving and Charles Dickens. He reports meeting Dickens at the Exchange Hotel in Pittsburgh, includes observations of Dickens and his wife, and his conversations with them. McKnight was a member of the Henry Clay Club and frequently remarks about his admiration for the statesman. In regards to personal matters, McKnight describes his marriage proposal to Elizabeth Denny, and one of the final entries details the day of their May 27th wedding. In this entry McKnight provides a detailed diagram of the wedding party's positions during the ceremony.

2 vol.

University of Pittsburgh