Skip to main content

John V. Hogan Diary

 Collection
Identifier: A3089

Scope and Contents

John V. Hogan kept a diary between January 1 and December 31, 1868. Entries included activities for each day of the year spent either in St. Louis or travelling to New Orleans for their honeymoon and to New York. There are also notes and lists on the front and back covers and on the end papers. Hogan listed receipts and expenses for each day.

The diary documented the Hogan’s wedding in Illinois and their honeymoon trip to New Orleans in January 1868. John described their travel down the Mississippi River and the sights they saw, commenting on the effects of the Civil War in the south such as the desolation and deserted plantations. Once the couple reached New Orleans, they toured the city, attended the Agricultural and Mechanical Fair, and saw a performance at a theatre managed by St. Louis theatre icon Ben DeBar. Hogan also noted that New Orleans was “a place where all theatres, stores, and markets are open on Sundays.”

Unfortunately, Cora caught a fever while on their trip. Once they returned to St. Louis, a doctor diagnosed her illness as pneumonia. Hogan often commented on the state of her health throughout their first year together.

From January through May, Hogan sporadically mentioned working on Hogan v. Pile, however, he did not explain his tasks. On March 10th, he mentions that he made a list of conservatives who supposedly voted for Pile and on July 11th, he received the majority opinion in the case but provided no details.

Hogan’s entries while in St. Louis recited his daily activities as they related to his business interests. He often went downtown and visited the assessor’s office, the collector’s office, the coal office, and the business owned by his brother-in-law, Simon Boogher of Boogher Bros. The coal office referred to the Chester & Chicago Branch Junction railroad in Illinois, where he assisted his father and his partners: Alfred Clapp, Madison Miller, and Frank H. Fletcher. In September, Hogan attained positions with the National Insurance Company and the Homeopathic Life Insurance Company which demanded more of his time as the year drew to a close.

On June 24th, the Hogans and Belle, presumably Cora’s sister Annabella, left St. Louis for New York. Hogan described their many stops and family visits along the way, also seeing his father. Hogan visited his friend Ashcroft (no first name given) in Syracuse and then returned to St. Louis, leaving Cora and Belle in New Jersey until their return on September 22nd. On November 3rd, the couple moved into their new home.

Dates

  • 1868

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

For permission to publish, quote from, or reproduce material in this collection, please contact the Archives Reference Desk at archives@mohistory.org. Copyright restrictions may apply. The researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming to the laws of copyright.

Biographical Sketch

John V. Hogan was born in St Louis in 1848 to John (1805-1892) and Harriet (Garnier) Hogan (1813-1889). He was the oldest of four sons. John’s younger brothers were: Thomas, Charles, and Benjamin. His father had two daughters from a previous marriage: Mary Hogan and Sophie Hogan Boogher. On 2 January 1868, John married Cora Brooks, daughter of Isabella (Condit) and Thomas Brooks. The couple had one daughter, Cora, born in 1883.

In the late 1860s, Hogan served as assistant assessor and as deputy collector of revenue for the first ward. He also assisted his father with the lawsuit that he instituted after being defeated in the 1866 congressional election, Hogan v. Pile. Rep. John Hogan accused his opponent, William Pile, of several counts of voting fraud but the courts upheld the initial election results. At the same time, Hogan also assisted his father with establishing a railroad company, the Chester & Chicago Branch Junction, to build a line near Chester, Illinois, which would connect to coal property owned by the elder Hogan. By 1869, Hogan became an insurance agent for the Homeopathic Life Insurance Company. In later years, he invested in residential and commercial real estate in St. Louis. He died in 1903.

Extent

0.05 Cubic Feet ( (1 volume))

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

The entries within the diary are chronological.

Physical and Technical Requirements.

There are no physical or technical restrictions.

Donor Information

The collection was donated by the Connecticut Historical Society in 2019 (accession number 2019-077).

Sources Consulted During Processing

Recollections of John Hogan by his Daughter by Mrs. Simon Boogher, 1927 (MHS Library StL/B/H678).

Statement: The Chester and Chicago Branch Junction Railroad Co., in Southern Illinois, Chicago: 1868 (Google ebook)


Processing Information

Processed with funding from The Stuart Foundation, Inc. by Kristina Perez, 2019.

Title
Inventory of John V. Hogan Diary
Status
Completed
Author
EAD by Kristina Perez using ArchivesSpace.
Date
2019
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Missouri Historical Society Library and Research Center Repository

Contact:
225 S. Skinker Blvd.
St. Louis MO 63105 United States
314-746-4510