Primarily correspondence, 1811-1855, of John Johnston (1775-1861). A native of Ireland, Johnston emigrated to America in 1786; served in the supply business for Wayne's army in 1793-1794; and became factor at Fort Wayne, 1798-1812, and Indian agent at Upper Piqua, Ohio, 1812-1829. Appreciating and respecting the desire of Tecumseh and other Indian leaders to have territory secure from white encroachment, Johnston attempted to promote federal endorsement and enactment of such a policy. His observations and recollections ranged widely over contemporary affairs, frontier events, and Indian culture, and often reflected conversations and reminiscences obtained from his Native American friends.

Among the varied topics discussed in his letters, interviews, and articles are the Shawnee in the battle of Point Pleasant; the deaths of William Crawford and John Hardin; Clark's campaign in 1782; history of the Delaware, Miami, Shawnee, and Wyandot tribes; the status and conditions of women in Indian society; the site of Fort Washington (Cincinnati, Ohio); Whig politics, especially Harrison's candidacy for president in 1840; the inventor James Rumsey and his use of steam power particularly as applied to boats; and the careers and deaths of two of Johnston's sons in the Mexican War. In his personal reminiscences he recorded his experiences in transporting money and supplies for the army in the 1790s, his subsequent opinions on banks and changing economic conditions in the West, information on the treaties of Fort Wayne (1809) and Fort Greenville (1814), and historical accounts about the Piqua and Cincinnati areas of Ohio. One of his early letters (1811) refers to the Prophet and the battle of Tippecanoe and also contains Indian instructions for raising a baby porcupine on maple sap.

Other persons prominently mentioned include: the Delaware chiefs Big Cat, Buckingehelas, Captain Pipe, Killbuck, and the Montour family; James Flinn; Simon Girty and his halfbreed relative, George Girty; Francis Hamtramck; Henry Jackson, prisoner of the Seneca; William Martin; the Miami chief Little Turtle; Joseph Nicholson, a Seneca by adoption; Oliver Pollock; the Potawatomi leaders, Blackbird and Keethas; Abraham and Stephen Ruddell; and Anthony Shane, Ottawa halfbreed interpreter. Also mentioned are many Shawnee, including Bieseka or the Wolf (John Wolf) who was a son of the noted Cornstalk, Black Hoof (Blackhoof) or Cutewekasa, Blue Jacket, Captain Tommy or Chiacksea, Captain Johnny, Francis Duchoquet known as the Fork or Sowaghquathoque, Captain Jim Logan, Red Pole, Silverheels, Tecumseh, Yellow Feather or Chacalaway, and Wapaghkonetta; William Spicer, a Wyandot captive; Robert Taitt; Francis Vigo; Samuel and William Wells, and the latter's halfbreed children, William Wayne Wells and Mary Jane Turner Wells; and Wyandot chiefs and halfbreeds, including Duumquot (D'Unquat), Half King, Scoutash, the Walkers-William, Joel, and Matthew, the War Pole or Rontondu, and Whitaker. Preceding Johnston's papers are a few letters, 1874-1882, written about Tecumseh by one of his nephews. Concluding the volume are reminiscences of Harmar's campaign and defeat in 1790 recorded in 1845 by Thomas Irwin.