The collection consists to two paper currency bills. The older of the two is from the pre-World War I German Empire and is dated for 1908. The other bill comes from the Soviet Union and is dated for 1921. Cyrillic script represents information on this bill.

The collection is composed of records and manuscripts from a variety of backgrounds. If there is one theme, it is that all are related to the history of Genesee County. Documents reflect the founding of Genesee County in the 1830s to early developments in infrastructure in the 1840s and 1850s, contributions of county residents in the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, and the First World War, ledgers and other documents detailing business activity, and organizational records from GCHS.

Those documents that detail the early history of Genesee County include oaths sworn and signed by initial officers of the county: sheriff, public notary, justice of the peace, and county surveyor. Other documents show the impetus and funding passed for a bridge over the Flint River.

Contributions county residents in various wars are reflected in clippings about Corydon Foote, a veteran of the Civil War and letters written by Herman Crites, a decorated veteran of the First World War. The letters of Crites reveal another side of a soldier who received the Distinguished Service Cross for bravery. His letters made light of daily life in the Army from before American entry into the war to preparing family members that he might die while serving in France.

Business records reflect activities undertaken by farms and stores in Flint and in the wider county. A member of the Crapo family, or an employee of the Crapo farm, kept a diary of daily activities on the farm for several months in 1895. Related to the business records are those from various civic and social organizations, such as ladies’ library associations in Flint and in Atlas Township.

The organizational records from GCHS reflect many activities taken by it and its members. Visitors logs from the old museum, informally known as the Flint Museum, list names and addresses of visitors. Curators’ reports document activities of GCHS, including collecting policies and exhibitions. Many letters are addressed to Charles M. Barber, who served as curator for GCHS for many years. Included also are many manuscripts written by Barber.

Portions of the collection were digitized for preservation concerns and for research purposes. These portions include oaths from early county officials, a contract for a bridge in 1848, a record of stockings sewn by county women during the Civil War, and a speech by Levi Walker to the Genesee County Agricultural Society.

The collection consists of several letters and one poem received by Susie C. Fisher from various men serving in U.S. Army in World War I. Letters do not provide details as to whether she was related to them or if they were friends or suitors. All were handwritten in either ink or pencil except one that was typed. Letter writers were Valeno Prince, who served in the headquarters of the American Expeditionary Force, Carl Paterson, who served in evacuation hospital no. 21, and Ralph Manwell, who served at an artillery school. All three served in France during the war. Every letter but one was mailed from France. The one exception originated from Camp Custer in Battle Creek, Michigan. Letter writers mentioned training, operations of their units, and what France and its people were like, but wrote sparingly about combat.

The poem is a chilling account of how the Spanish influenza affected a person’s body. It is unknown when and where the poem was written.