He may not have had much, but John A. Harrison was willing to give what he could in order to help others..."

John A. Harrison was barely an adult when he was sent to Sing Sing Prison for attempted burglary. He had moved to New York City with his mother when he was only about fifteen years old. Although he apprenticed with a druggist (a retailer of medicinal drugs), he acquired some criminally-inclined acquaintances that led him astray. His sentence lasted five years, during which he left a very good impression on the keepers at Sing Sing; so much so that he gave a glowing letter of recommendation from them to Isaac T. Hopper during their first meeting on September 13, 1848.

Within a few months of his release, he had procured employment as a druggist or assistant apothecary (Hopper refers to this employment as both at different times within the diary) in a hospital on Staten Island. During this employment, he found religion and conducted himself to the great satisfaction of Hopper. Specifically on pages 143, 170, and 175 of Volume 2, Hopper remarks that Harrison is doing well and conducting very satisfactorily. Harrison then moved onto a job as an apothecary on Blackwell's Island for a greater income.

Through the course of 1849 and 1850, Harrison periodically made small donations to the  Prison Association of New York (PANY). His successful return to society is a testament to how impactful Isaac T. Hopper and the PANY were in the lives of individuals who society had effectively given up on. His gratitude and good heart shines through in his various entries, especially in the instances where he donated to the PANY. He may not have had much, but John A. Harrison was willing to give what he could in order to help others who had found themselves in unfortunate circumstances.