Lyster Dewey’s diaries contain references to many characters who are written about in his personal diaries including family members, coworkers and fellow researchers. Below is a reference list of the characters who are mentioned in the diaries and a brief background on who they were.
| Lyster Hoxie Dewey | self, son of Francis Asbury and Harriet (Smith) Dewey |
| Grace Marguerite Dewey | daughter |
| Genevive Dewey | daughter |
| Etta Conkling | wife |
| Father Conkling | Etta’s father |
| A. H. Wright | hemp farmer in Madison, Wisconsin |
| Mr. Robinson | |
| Mr. Seebold | neighbor |
| Harry T. Edwards | USDA Executive |
| Mr. Dixon | |
| Mr. Grant | stenographer 1903-1904 |
| Mr. Coville | |
| Irving | bother in Adrian, MI |
| Mary and Lant | family in Morrice, MI |
| Adolph “Duff” Lang | |
| Mrs. Stretch | |
| Frank Hall | friend and schoolmate |
| Director Merrill | |
| Miss Marks | stenographer 1922 |
| Lucille Goodloe | assistant and friend 1922 |
| George & Ebba Campbell | family friends |
| Robert “Bobbie/Bob” Dewey Frost | grandson |
| Clarke Diamond | friend |
| Edward Lyster | grandson |
| Lydia Vollrath | stenographer 9/55/22 – 8/12/1924 |
| John Dewey | brother |
| Gerturde Johnston | stenographer February 23, 2005 |
| Hubert Snow | friend and church elder |
| Mrs. Allie MacDonald | cousin |
| Mr. J. Doull Miller | fellow botanist from New York |
| Dr. John Loe Allison | church pastor/preacher in DC |
| Dr. Swormstedt | family doctor |
| Ned Mayo | friend |
| Marie Goodloe nee Goodloe | stenographer August 1909 |
| Leroy “Roy” V. Crandall | assistant |
| Harry Works | friend and church elder |
| V. K. Chesnut | friend |
| Edgar Ide | old friend |
| Mr. Vandervortc | church friend |
| Elizabeth Dewey | relative |
| Fred Dewey | relative |
| Frank Bell | old friend |
| Grace Gerow Darling Douglas | friend |
| Mr. Turpin | church accountant |
| Edward | office messenger |
| Frank and Nelda Wood | friends |
| Harry Thurtell | fellow alumnus of MAC and friend |
| Mr. Mueller | next door neighbor |
| Lyster Hamlin Dewey | namesake and relative |
| George Hamlin | |
| Mildred | house helper |
| Lucy | caretaker of Lyster’s mother |
| Bertine | lives with Lyster and Etta, works with Lyster briefly in 1918 |
| Stewart Campbell | boarded at the Dewey residence 1918 |
| Charlie and Mary Trimble | friends, boarded with the Deweys 1923 |
| Joseph Davis | assisted Dewey 1920 |
| Frank Dewey | brother |
| George Dewey | elder brother |
| Otto Braskamp | church pastor/preacher in DC |
| Mallet Prevost | church friend |
| Margaret Carothers nee Rae | stenographer 1925 |
| Cornelia “Cornie” Snow Charles | daughter of friend Hubert Snow |
| Carl “Jack” Frost | son in law |
| Dr. E. L. Frost | father of Carl Frost |