author
Albert Henry Smyth
1863–1907
A Philadelphia scholar and teacher who helped bring Benjamin Franklin’s papers into clearer view, he balanced classroom work, literary criticism, and historical editing with unusual energy.
1 Audiobook
The Philadelphia Magazines and their Contributors 1741-1850
by Albert Henry Smyth
About the author
Born in Philadelphia in 1863, Albert Henry Smyth studied at Central High School and later graduated from Johns Hopkins University. He went on to teach English at Central High and became active in the American Philosophical Society, where he served as a member and curator.
Smyth is best remembered for his work on Benjamin Franklin. He edited The Writings of Benjamin Franklin and was noted for uncovering and publishing many Franklin letters and papers that had not previously appeared in print. Alongside that historical work, he also wrote on American literature and Philadelphia literary life.
He died in 1907 at just 43 years old. Even with a short life, he left behind a body of work that connected scholarship, teaching, and literary history in a way that still makes him a useful figure for readers interested in early American writing.