The letterbooks in this collection are blotter copies containing legal correspondence to individuals, sheriffs, county clerks, and judges; and personal correspondence to friends and family. There are also letters to magazines and newspapers concerning subscriptions and advertising. One volume contains petitions, deeds, and briefs used in courts, including the Supreme Court of Texas. The correspondence describes conditions in Texas before, during, and after the Civil War, including the Cortina War of 1859. Most of the letterbooks are indexed by addressee and the volume of petitions by the main person involved in the case.