Hewen's two journals date from 1881 and 1884; the 1884 journal is numbered "volume XI." The journal from 1881 is not numbered, and no other journals are in the collection. Each is a record of his daily existence for an entire year, functioning additionally as exercises in penmanship, of which Hewen was justifiably proud. Although his home was in Baring Cross, Pulaski County, Arkansas, Hewen made frequent trips by mule and train to Cabot (Lonoke County), Arkansas for shopping, as well as to Lonoke (Lonoke County), Austin (Lonoke County), Warren (Bradley County), Palestine (St. Francis County), and, of course, Little Rock.

It was in 1884 in Little Rock that Hewen first saw and was thrilled by electric lights; Hewen attended the Arkansas Democratic Primary Convention in the same year. These events stand out in what is mainly a record of excesses of the weather, sickness, teaching jobs, and poignant memories (Hewen's mother died in 1874). The collection also contains a sample of Hewen's penmanship, a letter to his brother Gough Hewen, and a tintype of Hewen. The dimensions of the tintype are given height first.