Papers, 1776-1869, by or relating to Joseph Doddridge and his family, which were acquired by Draper from Narcissa Doddridge, some in original form, some as copies if she chose to retain the original.

A biography of Joseph Doddridge (1769-1826) detailing his ancestry, education, contributions as a Methodist and Episcopal clergyman, and his personal and family interests was rewritten by Draper from a “Memoir” by Narcissa. Original manuscripts by Doddridge include: a brief account of the Indian attack on John Bingeman and his wife in 1763; a portion of John Stuart's “Narrative of Indian Wars and Settlements” (of which additional parts or versions appear in 6 NN and 2 ZZ); an unfinished draft of a novel entitled “Tutela,” expressing Doddridge's view of Indian life and character; and elegies on the deaths of two of his children. Copies of his papers include a letter to his brother Philip (1820), several letters to his wife (1824), and letters of “Russian Spy” (believed to be his pseudonym) published in the Chillicothe (Ohio) Gazette (1825-1826). Several original letters of scattered dates, 1796-1828, and financial memoranda were written by his brother Philip (1773-1832), Virginia attorney and congressman, and pertain to legal cases and land business.

Also found in the volume are notes from a newspaper article (1776) on George Morgan and his proposed colony of “Indiana,” and an account by Narcissa Doddridge describing the Wyandot attack (1778) on the family of Joseph's uncle, an elder Philip Doddridge, and the captivity of three of his daughters. Correspondence, 1866-1869, between Narcissa and Draper discuss not only mutual historical interests but also the troubled course of the business arrangements for the new edition of the Notes to be prepared by Draper and his research assistant, William A. Croffut.