The bulk of the materials documents the M-SAR's activities during the first two decades of the 20th century as well as the period from 1945 to 1962. More extensive documentation for the latter era results from the activities of Jackson Towne, who held various posts in the M-SAR during his membership and collected the material that was subsequently donated.

The collection contains incoming and copies of outgoing correspondence, constitutions of various SAR societies, membership rosters, yearbooks and report of numerous state societies, as well as bulletins, publications, pamphlets and programs collected by the M-SAR.

The correspondence deals with such business activities of the M-SAR as the processing of membership applications, annual dues collections and annual meetings. The constitutions of the various societies, also found in many of the yearbooks, arranged alphabetically by state, also list annual activities, meetings and in some cases speeches and reports made to the society. The two groups, publications and pamphlets, were left unchanged, but the distinction between the groups should be noted.These materials range from family genealogies to general histories as well as material of historical interest. The bulletins and programs announce and record the various social functions and other events of the member societies.