The Johnston family came from North Carolina to Mississippi in 1820, acquired large tracts of land in what is now Madison and Sharkey counties, and built Annandale and the Chapel of the Cross. The volume contains several pages of "recpts" for cures of ailments in man and beast; one page is headed "Expense account of William and Samuel G. Johnston," with entries from December 10, 1830, through January 1, 1831; two pages listing Negroes belonging to Samuel G. Johnston, 1842; records of land purchased from Samuel I. Carter, and Samuel W. Dorsey in 1847, with lists of notes securing payment; list of Negroes sent to Deer Creek, January 10, 1848, and other business transactions dated 1851. The deaths of William Johnston and John T. Johnston in 1841 and 1848 respectively are recorded by Samuel G. Johnston. The three items are photostats of letter to the Reverend C. C. Parsons, Church of St. Lazarus, Memphis, Tennessee, from Jefferson Davis, Mississippi City, August 10, with the year not given; receipt dated New Orleans, Louisiana, January 14, 1842, made to "Mr. Jno. T. Johnson" for subscription to The Picayune, and typed copy of letter dated February 18, 1925, written by Newton Edward Walker, Columbia, in which the uniform of the "Helen Johnston Guards" is described.