Amy Fenimore was a Quaker from Philadelphia. Her diary entries largely focus on prayers and religious reflection, and many describe Quaker meetings, and births, deaths, and marriages within the Quaker community. Entries during the years 1832-1833 discuss the Hicksite-Orthodox Quaker separation.

The commonplace books of the Shoemaker family include advice, reflections, excerpts of letters, prose, poetry, and excerpts organized by topic, including matrimony, happiness, pleasure, and character.

This collection includes three bound volumes of handwritten transcriptions and extracts of Ann Head Warder’s diaries, originally written between 1786 and 1789. The transcriptions were written by later family members during the 19th century. Diary entries describe Ann’s voyage to America and her travels within New York and Pennsylvania, including people she met, Quaker meetings she attended, and social calls made during her travels.

Ann Cooper Whitall's diary entries focus on descriptions of Quaker meetings, illnesses within her family and community, reflections on religion and the perceived failure of Whitall’s community to live up to its ideals, and discussions concerning effective child-rearing practices.