Includes letters by J. W. Denver dating from March 15, 1846 to March 8, 1888. Consists of personal letters from Denver to his wife, Louisa or Louise, as well as from Louisa to him, and some to and from his children Katherine Williams, James Denver, and Mary Louise Lindley.

His business papers concern primarily governmental and military affairs. Several letters concern Native Americans, some related to land claims and appropriations bills in Congress. These include exchanges between Secretary of the Interior Jacob Thompson and the acting Commissioner of Indian Affairs Charles Mix. There are also some records related to Denver's time as territorial governor of Kansas and involving other territorial governors, notably Hugh S. Walsh and Samuel Medary.