The papers consist of Whitman's memoirs and records of the Modern Woodmen of America.

Whitman's memoirs, written in 1946-1949, deal chiefly with his younger years during the 1880s and 1890s in Ogemaw and Arenac Counties, Michigan. He describes farm life and farming techniques, lumbering and transportation facilities, and the geography of the area. His chief topic is a history of the Delano Settlement in Whitney Township, Arenac County, Michigan.

The records of Delano Camp No. 8732 of the Modern Woodmen of America include a folder of miscellaneous papers (1904-1919) and a volume containing accounts and minutes of the meetings (1900-1921). Whitman was the organization's clerk at this time.