This collection contains various deeds, receipts, and legal papers concerning the Deaderick family, particularly David Deaderick (1754-1823) and his son David Anderson Deaderick (1797-1873), between 1785 and 1838 in the Washington County area of Tennessee. It also includes a typescript copy of an original diary by the son, David Anderson Deaderick. The diary contains information about his life from 1825 to 1873, including his time in Jonesborough and Knoxville, his travels abroad, his participation in the 1849 Gold Rush, and his service in the Civil War. Also in the diary are a list of facts that Deaderick compiled about his family, correspondence regarding Deaderick's genealogical research, a speech given by W. W. Carson describing the Deaderick family's service during the Civil War, and an obituary for Mrs. Sarah Helms.