The bulk of the correspondence was written by friends and relatives in Michigan and California in the period 1864-1880 to Mary Taylor, later Mrs. Richard Hale, a school teacher residing in Milford, Michigan

In addition to education and the problems of teaching, such topics as the Civil War, the draft, election politics, and farming activities are discussed.

Also included are the courtship letters (1842) of John Taylor of Milford and Jane Wark of New York City.