The collection includes original documents, photographs, and correspondence from the nineteenth century and genealogical information about the Black, Kennedy, Clayton, McCutchan, and McKnight families. It is divided into two series: Family Histories and Documents and Letters. The collection spans from 1809 to 2021 with bulk dates of 1850 to 1859 and circa 1950. There are large date gaps: 1812 to 1842, 1876 to 1910, 1912 to 1933, and 1951 to 2019. Both series are arranged alphabetically by name. Typed, undated genealogical narratives comprise most of the Family Histories series. Many of the family histories are traced to the first U.S. immigrants and sometimes to earlier ancestors. The largest portion of the data relates to individuals who lived in St. Louis County and Missouri during the nineteenth century. Along with dates and estate information, there are many family anecdotes and excerpts from published works that mention various family members who were influential early settlers in St. Louis County. A small number of the family files include photocopies of newspaper clippings, letters, and a will. There are also four photographs in this series: Gurdon Riddle Gilmore (f.1); Virginia McCutchan Stamps (f.10); William C. Stamps (f.10); and Caroline Stamps and Amanda Stagg Stamps (f.10). There is one file for each of the following families: Black, Ralph Clayton, Dr. John Kennedy, and McCutchan. The largest portion of the series concerns the McKnight family and includes a paper about the family by Judy Simcoke Earnest. There are biographies of several of its most prominent members. For example, John McKnight, Jr. (1802-1875) made a fortune in Chihuahua, Mexico, after deciding to go there to visit his uncle, Robert McKnight (1790-1846). A paper on the merchants McKnight & Brady includes much early history about merchants and their practices in St. Louis, the War of 1812, and real estate dealings by the McKnights and Bradys (f.5). The Documents and Letters series contains ephemera, correspondence, financial documents, and legal documents relating to Dr. John Kennedy, to George W. Fairman, to Alice Koeneke, and to Rev. William H. Woodward and Jane Kennedy Woodward. There are two of Dr. Kennedy’s class cards from the University of Glasgow dated 1809-1810 and 1811 (f.13). Maria E. Jenkins Fairman Corbitt (1837-1911) wrote to her granddaughter, Alice Koeneke, on June 26, 1911. Mrs. Corbitt’s first husband was George W. Fairman. There are several documents relating to the death of Fairman aboard the steamer Canada at Galena, Illinois, in 1859. There are notices to Fairman’s family alerting them to the Canada’s progress to St. Louis, an itemized invoice for funeral services, and newspaper clippings, which reveal Fairman was a member of the International Order of Odd Fellows. Two documents after Fairman’s death relate to land in Dakota County, Minnesota, and to land in St. Louis (f.12). Most of the Documents and Letters series concerns the Rev. William H. Woodward and Jane Kennedy. The couple exchanged love letters secretly from September to October 1852 with the assistance of Jane’s brother, James, and a friend, Mrs. Thomas. Eight of the letters survived (f.15). On September 25th, Woodward reported that a friend “has been dangerously excited since I whispered to him the good news of our engagement.” However, he promised not to let the news reach St. Louis. By his October 2nd letter, Woodward claimed that he did not say anything, but there had been an “accidental explosion” of their “beautiful secret.” Jane disclosed in her October 2nd letter that she wished to omit the word “obey” from their ceremony as “obedience sounds very repulsive to my feelings.” On October 29th, William discussed wedding plans and stated that her father consented to the marriage. Incomplete transcriptions of the letters accompanied the “The Kennedy Family” paper in the previous series (f.3). Other correspondence to Jane dates from before and after her marriage (f.14). There are letters from her cousins W.K. Hershaw, James Hershaw, and John Hershaw. Another correspondent, Louisa Coates, Woodward’s oldest and married daughter, congratulated Jane on her marriage. Another letter from Jane’s sister Mary Ann Kennedy reported on their mother’s ill health: “Papa will say as he never mentions your name nor does he desire to hear it, but if you ever intend to come now is the time.” Mrs. Kennedy died the following month. There are also financial and legal documents from William and Jane Kennedy Woodward. A deed dated May 1855 is for a lot in the City of St. Louis near Lucas and Wright Avenues. Rev. Woodward’s will reveals that it was filed in March 1858 shortly after his death. Several invoices and receipts dating from 1853 to 1859 relate to work on Grace Memorial Episcopal Church, including a handwritten copy of the 1845 deed; to work on the Woodwards' home, which includes an illustrated invoice from McMurray, Winkelmaier & Co. for window caps; and to household accounts after Rev. Woodward’s death in March 1858.