John Arnold Smith, born in 1880, worked as a coal miner starting at the age of 10. Most of his life was spent in Western Pennsylvania. He was active in the United Mine Workers of America, and served as President of United Mine Workers Local 6151 in Mather (Greene County), Pa. His correspondence reflects the vicissitudes of a miner’s life, documents a brief career as an AFL organizer in 1935, and includes autographed letters from John L. Lewis, Kathryn Lewis, and Philip Murray. A hand-written work history describes Smith’s progress from mine to mine through many states and regions in his early years.

Work History: 1-2

United Mine Workers' Correspondence: 1-2 (with P.T. Fagan), 3-4-5-6

American Federation of Labor (AFL) Correspondence: 1-2a, 2b

Disability Compensation: 1-2

Labor Supports Roosevelt Letter

Letter to John L. Lewis