Philip Hone
Encyclopedia
Philip Hone was Mayor of New York from 1826 to 1827. He was most notable for a detailed diary
he kept from 1828 until the time of his death in 1851. His recorded diary is said to be the most extensive and detailed of his time in 19th century America.
Son of a German immigrant carpenter
, Hone became wealthy in the auction
business. He was elected Mayor on the Whig
ticket in 1826, but served only one term. A somewhat elitist Whig, Hone was increasingly out of touch with political power in the city, then (as now) mostly controlled by the Democratic Party
. He became a man of great prominence in New York society, for his wealth, sophistication, extensive travel and good taste, and was good friends with most of the political, artistic and scientific leaders of his day. Most notable among them were: Washington Irving
, Samuel Morse, Daniel Webster
, John Jacob Astor
and U.S. Presidents John Quincy Adams
and Martin Van Buren
.
Hone's diary records not only his society engagements and the major events and spectacles in the city in the first half of the century, but also his view of a changing city: his disapproval of Jacksonian Democracy
; the disconcerting effects of the city's constant construction; and his utter disgust with most Irish
immigrants.
He was a successful merchant
and a founder of the Mercantile Library Association and he was the first President of the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company
in 1825 and 1826. Hone lived in an elegant town house at 235 Broadway, opposite City Hall Park. Today, Honesdale, Pennsylvania
, is named in honor of Philip Hone.
Hone Avenue in the Bronx
is named after him.
Diary
A diary is a record with discrete entries arranged by date reporting on what has happened over the course of a day or other period. A personal diary may include a person's experiences, and/or thoughts or feelings, including comment on current events outside the writer's direct experience. Someone...
he kept from 1828 until the time of his death in 1851. His recorded diary is said to be the most extensive and detailed of his time in 19th century America.
Son of a German immigrant carpenter
Carpenter
A carpenter is a skilled craftsperson who works with timber to construct, install and maintain buildings, furniture, and other objects. The work, known as carpentry, may involve manual labor and work outdoors....
, Hone became wealthy in the auction
Auction
An auction is a process of buying and selling goods or services by offering them up for bid, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder...
business. He was elected Mayor on the Whig
Whig Party (United States)
The Whig Party was a political party of the United States during the era of Jacksonian democracy. Considered integral to the Second Party System and operating from the early 1830s to the mid-1850s, the party was formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson and his Democratic...
ticket in 1826, but served only one term. A somewhat elitist Whig, Hone was increasingly out of touch with political power in the city, then (as now) mostly controlled by the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
. He became a man of great prominence in New York society, for his wealth, sophistication, extensive travel and good taste, and was good friends with most of the political, artistic and scientific leaders of his day. Most notable among them were: Washington Irving
Washington Irving
Washington Irving was an American author, essayist, biographer and historian of the early 19th century. He was best known for his short stories "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle", both of which appear in his book The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. His historical works...
, Samuel Morse, Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster
Daniel Webster was a leading American statesman and senator from Massachusetts during the period leading up to the Civil War. He first rose to regional prominence through his defense of New England shipping interests...
, John Jacob Astor
John Jacob Astor
John Jacob Astor , born Johann Jakob Astor, was a German-American business magnate and investor who was the first prominent member of the Astor family and the first multi-millionaire in the United States...
and U.S. Presidents John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams was the sixth President of the United States . He served as an American diplomat, Senator, and Congressional representative. He was a member of the Federalist, Democratic-Republican, National Republican, and later Anti-Masonic and Whig parties. Adams was the son of former...
and Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren
Martin Van Buren was the eighth President of the United States . Before his presidency, he was the eighth Vice President and the tenth Secretary of State, under Andrew Jackson ....
.
Hone's diary records not only his society engagements and the major events and spectacles in the city in the first half of the century, but also his view of a changing city: his disapproval of Jacksonian Democracy
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
; the disconcerting effects of the city's constant construction; and his utter disgust with most Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
immigrants.
He was a successful merchant
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
and a founder of the Mercantile Library Association and he was the first President of the Delaware and Hudson Canal Company
Delaware and Hudson Railway
The Delaware and Hudson Railway is a railroad that operates in the northeastern United States. Since 1991 it has been a subsidiary of the Canadian Pacific Railway, although CPR has assumed all operations and the D&H does not maintain any locomotives or rolling stock.It was formerly an important...
in 1825 and 1826. Hone lived in an elegant town house at 235 Broadway, opposite City Hall Park. Today, Honesdale, Pennsylvania
Honesdale, Pennsylvania
Honesdale is a borough in and the county seat of Wayne County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located northeast of Scranton. The population was 4,874 at the 2000 census....
, is named in honor of Philip Hone.
Hone Avenue in the Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
is named after him.
External links
- Diary of Philip Hone 1828–1851, Vol. 1 Cornell University Library Making of America Monographs {Reprinted by}Cornell University Library Digital Collections
- Diary of Philip Hone 1828–1851, Vol. 2 Cornell University Library Making of America Monographs {Reprinted by}Cornell University Library Digital Collections