Draper Manuscript Collection

Record Description
This collection consists of nearly 500 volumes of manuscripts, papers, and books collected by Lyman Copeland Draper about the history of the trans-Allegheny West, a region including the western areas of the Carolinas and Virginia, all the Ohio River Valley, and part of the upper Mississippi Valley from the 1740s to 1830. The collection is divided into 50 series. Some series are titled by geographic area, some by the names of prominent frontier leaders, and some by topic. The bulk of the collection consists of notes from interviews, questionnaires, and letters gathered during Draper’s extensive travels and research to learn about frontier history.

For a list of the contents of this collection by film number, see the United States, Draper Manuscript Series Coverage Table.

For a list of record categories and dates currently published in this collection, select the Browse.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the information published in FamilySearch.org Historical Record collections. Sources include the author, custodian, publisher and archive for the original records.

Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

Record Content
Key facts found in this collection vary from record to record. They may include:


 * Names
 * Birth, marriage, or death dates and places
 * Names of parents or other family members
 * Residences
 * Life sketches
 * Names of neighbors
 * Notes of envolvement in historical events

How to Use the Record
To begin your search it is helpful to know the following:


 * Name
 * Other identifying biographical details such as residence

Search the Collection
To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select the "Browse" link in the initial search page ⇒Select the "Series Description" category which takes you to the images

Look at the images one by one comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine which one is your ancestor. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to make this determination.

Using the Information
When you have located your ancestor’s record, carefully evaluate each piece of information given. Save a copy of the image or transcribe the information. These pieces of information may give you new biographical details such as a title, an occupation, or land ownership. Add this new information to your records of each family. You should also look for leads to other records about your ancestors.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Look for variant spellings of the names.
 * Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank or status within the community.
 * Make a list of individuals with the same surname.
 * Search the indexes and records of nearbylocalities.

Additional Information About This Collection
The following books have been published about this collection.


 * Thwaites, Reuben Gold. Frontier Defense on the Upper Ohio, 1776-1778. Family History Library Film Number 1320772 Item 1
 * Bennett, Edward Earl. Calendar of the Tennessee and King's Mountain papers of the Draper collections of manuscripts, Vol. 3. Available on Ancestry.com
 * Weaks, Mabel Clare. The Preston and Virginia papers of the Draper collection of manuscripts. Available at the Internet Archives
 * Weaks, Mabel Clare. Calendar of the Kentucky papers of the Draper collection of manuscripts. Available on Ancestry.com
 * Clark, George Rogers. George Rogers Clark papers, 1771-1784. Available at the Internet Archives

Related Websites

 * Wisconsin Historical Society
 * Draper Manuscripts: King's Mountain Papers, 1756-1887
 * Pickler Memorial Library

Related Wiki Articles

 * Illinois History
 * Indiana History
 * Kentucky History
 * North Carolina History
 * Tennessee History

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Citation Example for a Record Found in This Collection
“Argentina, Buenos Aires, Catholic Church Records, 1635-1981,” images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org: accessed 28 February, 2012), La Plata &gt; San Ponciano &gt; Matrimonios 1884-1886 &gt; image 71 of 389 images, Artemio Avendano and Clemtina Peralta, 1884; citing Parroquia de San Ponciano en la Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina, Matrimonios. San Ponciano, La Plata.