This collection contains materials from both Jennie and James Towar. The correspondence of Jennie Towar Woodard is addressed to family members as well as correspondence from those family members. The bulk of this correspondence prior to the second World War came from her brother, James. The letters of the latter half of the collection are from nieces and nephews. In general, the letters are chatty and relate some of the social or economic condition of the times. One exception to this are the letters from James during World War II while he lived in Los Angeles, California. These letters provide some insight into the war economy as well as the war society in Southern California.

Also included is the 167-page unpublished manuscript James Towar wrote for the East Lansing Public Library in 1933 which details a history of East Lansing, Michigan. Reference is made to pre-Revolutionary times, however, the bulk of the manuscript deals with the period 1850-1930.