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The first entry in the diary is a 3 page "List of negros", belonging to John Augustine Washington. The list includes names, birthdates, and sources of acquisition. Other entries in the diary are regarding business, financial matters, and the management of Mount Vernon.

A.D. 25 pages. Corn account, 1791 for Muddy Hole and the other plantations--corn ground and oats to be planted in 1792, no. of acres per plantation--account of cattle sold, oxen sold, 1791, 1792--seed sown in 1792 in timothy and clover--account of farm and harvesting activities (sides of leather) Oct. 1791--account of seeds and grain in greenhouse loft, Nov. 1791--gardener's account, pork, beef, midlings, quart of rum--amounts of clover and timothy seed needed, bushels per plantation--amount on hand, 1792--mill farm no. of feet of planks, 1791, lbs. of beef mutton, bacon and rum--Nov. 22, 1791, finished the mill--account of hogs, 1791--potato account, 1791--turnips account--4 1/2 doz. candles made--tools delivered--Aug. 1792 del. one barrel of herrings, lbs. of mutton Thos. Green, Gray, monies received--monies expended since the absence of Major Washington, Dec. 15--several pp. of accts. of white workers about Mt. V.: Thomas Mahoney, (house carpenter and joiner), Thomas Green (carpenter), Joseph Davenport (called miller), William Garner, Daniel the Dutchman, tools for Hiland Crow, Boyd for making shoes. All these are dated 1791. Autograph document, silked, entitled "Muddy Hole Plantation", not bound, but with bound vols., watermark.

This manuscript is made up of several sections. Approximately the first 100 pages include inventories of the Mount Vernon estate's contents (silver, dishes, beds, linens, and so on). That set of inventories was begun during Bushrod Washington's tenure as owner of Mount Vernon. Much of the text appears to be in his handwriting. The middle 200 pages are made up of the manuscript contain the daily diary of John A. Washington III for the years 1842-1845, while he owned Mount Vernon. The final 50 or so pages contain John A. Washington's record of work done by various individuals on the Mount Vernon property for several months at the end of 1842 to the beginning of 1843; a variety of other miscellaneous records and accounts are included in these final pages, all of which appear "upside down" in relation to the inventories and diary because they were written with the blank book flipped over so that the original back cover became the front cover. The inventories include two lists of slaves: one is dated 20 July 1815 (during the Bushrod Washington years); and the other with birthdates to April 1845 (during the John A. Washington III years).

The journal includes topics of medicinal notes, farrier techniques, recipes, and law.

Letter to his new steward about affairs on his estates -- poor condition of his negroes -- has had many complaints about their treatment -- "to get the negroes comfortably housed, & provided with clothes and blankets will be the first of acts of your administration" -- he knows nothing of what goes on on his estate -- settlement with Rail Road -- they have only the right away through the White House on the Pamunkey plantation, anything else must be paid for. Autograph letter signed, laminated.

A.L.S. 3 pages. Mount Vernon. Safe arrival at G. W.'s--be sure the General gets good Sanfine seed which he is ordering--get a "Clever Lille Desant plow which must go with out a weeal for the land is not Level and to be shoor to make him Light and Desant and be Shoor to make him turn the works well ..."--describes plows in use at Mt. V.--doesn't want wife to come yet, for he may not stay past his year--land poor, plows poor, farm instruments poor--wages and terms of General's are good--dislikes negroes--"tese Black Peope I am Rather in Danger of being posind among them ..."--wife can decide about coming--look after his children--General sold good sheep for 40/ "a pes of thar money."--. Autograph letter signed, integral cover, laminated, watermarks. [Bloxham was an English farmer who came to serve as farmer and manager of some activities at Mount Vernon. Peacey was his sponsor].

John A. Washington III writes to "Dear Ned" regarding the purchase of horses, cattle, and investments in cattle and guano. Also plans to call upon Turner with "Farmer" Jefferson in tow and "take him captive" and "pick you up and bring you both down with me -- so hold youself in readiness." Autograph letter, signed.

West Ford, a former slave of the Washington family who was later freed and employed as overseer of Mount Vernon, writes to John Augustine Washington III, present owner of Mount Vernon, who is away at Blakeley, regarding wool, barrels of fruit, sweet potatoes, flock of sheep, sale of wheat, and weather. Autograph letter signed, 3 pages, with integral cover.

Contains accounts for the running of George Washington's Mount Vernon estate, its constituent farms and businesses. Entries document expenses for the fisheries, tailor work, voyage of the brig (or brigantine) Farmer to Jamaica in 1774, tools, clothing for slaves, expenses for various craftsmen, food, weaving, tobacco, and much more. Earliest entries are said to be in the hand of John Kirkpatrick, while the last two thirds of the volume are in the hand of Lund Washington. About a half dozen notations in George Washington's hand also appear. Quite a few later manuscript additions appear throughout, giving explanations or 'editorial commentary' on the text. Pages numbered 89-107 were removed prior to the original coming to Mount Vernon.