Papers, 1776, 1840-1890, mainly letters received by Draper from descendants of the western Virginia pioneers. Most are dated from 1840 to 1852. Although the majority of letters are biographical and genealogical in content, several (1845-1846) concern Draper's efforts to locate and obtain the papers of William Preston (Series QQ) from members of the Preston family. Persons prominently mentioned in the correspondence include not only Preston but also Matthew Arbuckle, the Delaware Indian Bald Eagle, Daniel Boone, Robert Breckinridge, William Christian, Alexander Spotswood Dandridge, Stephen Dandridge, William Dark, Samuel Estill, William Fleming, William Foote, John and William Hacker, Benjamin Harrison (b. 1741), John Hollis, Andrew Lewis, Thomas Lewis, Patrick Lockhart, William McClanahan, John McDowell, Alexander McNutt, Joseph Martin, George Matthews, George Moffett (Moffit), Audley Paul, John Peter Salling, Adam Stephen, John Stuart, Jacob Warwick, William White and his brother David.

Other family surnames for which there are substantial references are Alexander, Henry, Inglis angles) (Virginia and Kentucky), Madison, Shelby, Taylor, and Trimble. Found in this correspondence are words of a song on the battle of Point Pleasant from the Lewis family and a long narrative by Charles Stuart based upon recollections of Margaret Handley Erskine (Mrs. Michael Erskine), who with her first husband John Pawley had been attacked by Indians and had spent several years (1779-1784) in captivity.

From Joseph Martin's papers came the sole Revolutionary manuscript in the volume, an orderly book used by Martin while captain during the Cherokee expedition of 1776; a brief index and annotations by Draper accompany the orderly book.