The bulk of this collection is approximately 74 letters, primarily between Henry Willis and Sarah Freeman Willis from 1852 to 1860. Other correspondence involves various Willis and Freeman family members including parents, brothers and sisters. These letters offer a view of family relationships and domestic activities for two New York/New Jersey families during the middle years of the 19th century.

This is a collection of correspondence, bills of lading, accounts, receipts, etc. relating to a trading voyage by the sloop POLLY between New York, Copenhagen, St. Petersburg, and Charleston, S.C., and two voyages (1803-1806) of the ship SILENUS, with accounts, manifests, crews' wages, and bills from Antwerp, Amsterdam, the Cape of Good Hope, Cape Town, and New York.