The O. P. Temple Papers document Temple's involvement in local and national politics including Native American affairs, land in Texas and Tennessee, legal matters, slavery (including slaves that Temple owned), the Confederacy's secession, the Civil War and Reconstruction eras, the Knoxville Chronicle, University of Tennessee business, and the publication of various of Temple's books.

Series I: Correspondence and Appendices, 1832 February-1909: This series consists primarily of correspondence between Temple and such people as William Gannaway "Parson" Brownlow, T. A. R. Nelson, L. C. Houk, M. S. Temple, J. G. M. Ramsey, Z. B. Vance, Horace Maynard, Tomlinson Fort, and Peter Turney.

Series II: Legal and Financial Files, circa 1822-circa 1910: This series consists of legal and financial files which date back to 1822. Also included are various land grants, receipts, and ledger books.

Series III: Writings and Publications, circa 1847-circa 1910, undated: This series includes publications and reviews of several Temple works. The following publications included in the collection; Notable Men of Tennessee, East Tennessee and the Civil War, Johnson and Temple Race, and The Covenanter.

Series IV: Newspaper Clippings, circa 1844-circa 1922, undated: This series includes several newspaper articles that document events surrounding the Civil War, court trials, society member updates, the Knoxville area, and O.P. Temple's daughter.

Series V: Awards and Gifts, 1919 July 21: This series houses an award from the Board of Trustees of the University of Tennessee and the foundation Mary Boyce Temple established to honor her father's memory.

Series VI: Photographs: Circa 1884: This series consist of photographs of O. P Temple's family.