Included among the family papers are two biographies of the Reed family and, most specifically, of James M.K. Reed. There is correspondences to and from various members of the Reed family, which generally discuss the health of the family and neighbors, jobs, education, and the weather. Other papers include the Excelsior Society Exhibition, purchasing orders from Ferris and Steele for basic food items, a petition to Governor Pattison against natural gas monopolies, and other papers concerning new roads in the area. Correspondence and papers from Wayne County, Iowa, regarding taxes on property owned by the Reed family are also included in this series, as are a number of receipts of transactions made by family members.
