These letters contain the correspondence between Andrew Jackson Donelson, addressed to or written by, and various family members, largely his father and second wife, Elizabeth. Most are concerned with traveling information, such as where to forward a letter whilst traveling, or to whose care a letter may be addressed that it might be received. A generous portion of each letter is devoted to asking after the well-being and current status or whereabouts of various family members and the authors approval or not of certain actions, such as marriage.

Also contained in the letters are the relaying of the status of various plantations and farms. This includes the hiring and firing of help and "negroes," the amount of cotton that might be had per acre, the poundage of cotton expected to be sold, the size and quality of the coming corn crop and the tending of various livestock, mainly pigs.

Several letters also contain information of the affairs of the court in Paris and people of Prussia. This includes a soiree attended in France and the types of people met.

This collection also includes several letters written by Andrew Jackson Donelson's son, William A. Donelson, during his time at Kentucky Military Institute, Farmdale, Kentucky. One letter addresses the vice that consumes the cadets during Christmas Day, to include mainly drinking "their deadly poison [whiskey], the root of so many evils." These letters also ask for the quarterly tuition of $100 to be sent, as well as asking after the welfare of family.