The Gem was edited by Harry Westwood and John Henry Hobart Pinckney in New York from 1850-1851. It contains poems, reflections, commentaries, parodies, and short stories written by many contributors under a variety of pseudonyms, such as Prince Penguin, Dr. Raccabias, and Angel Poet. Some of the articles include "The Butter Cup," "Stray Thoughts," "Sunrise at the Hudson," and "Sleep and Death." A few of the entries are on French. This copy was likely owned by Washington Pelham (1829-1853) from London, England and given to his sister Eleanor [Pelham] Knott after his death. At the end of the volume, there is a supplement dedicated as a tribute to Pelham's death.
John Henry Hobart Pinckney was born on November 21, 1828 in New York to Thomas Carhart and Caroline [Smith] Pinckney. He lived in Brooklyn, Kings County, N.Y. as a lwayer with his parents and 9 siblings. He died on July 28, 1877 at the age of 48 and was buried at the Crace Episcopal Churchyard in Jamaica, Queens County, N.Y.