John H. Wheeler was a historian, diplomat, and public official. A native of Murfreesboro, N.C., Wheeler lived in Washington, D.C., during the time documented by these papers, except for a stint as minister to Nicaragua, 1854-1856, and during the Civil War. The collection contains scattered papers of Wheeler, including 24 letters received from his son, Levi Woodbury Wheeler, with the 3rd North Carolina Artillery Regiment and the 10th North Carolina Heavy Artillery Battalion in the Confederate army in Virginia and North Carolina; a catalog of John H. Wheeler's library in 1850; and a scrapbook of clippings and notes by Wheeler about North Carolina history. Also included are five rolls of microfilm containing diaries and other volumes of miscellaneous material such as clippings, invitations, obituaries, and event programs and tickets.
