The contents of this collection represent various aspects of the life of John W. Thomason, including his family life, military career, his work as a published author and illustrator, and general interest in art. This collection contains correspondence, drafts of his writing, published written works, artifacts from his military career, magazine and newspaper clippings, genealogical research, photographs, and numerous notebooks and sketchbooks. A large portion of this collection includes nearly 2,000 drawings by Thomason that portray different subjects including nature, the Civil War, the World Wars, Texas history, Latin America, and other interests. Several of these items can be seen on display in the Special Collections Room, as well as online at SHSU's Digital Collection.