The fonds contains the business records of Michael Samuel and his sons, Michael Jr., Joseph J., William E. and Samuel G. A few records relate to the partnership of John Joseph and Michael Samuel, and a number of letters were written to Michael Samuel, Sr. by his nephew, businessman Jonah Samuels of Dalhousie, N.B.

The fonds consists of correspondence; accounts; invoices; orders; receipts; bills of shipping, lading, and exchange; and a few legal records, including agreements.

This fonds consists of 2 letters: (1) Robert Rankin of Saint John to John Glasier concerning wood operations and prices, 15 December 1837 and (2) Charles Dawson of Little Falls to J. & S. Glasier, 28 September 1858.

The fonds consists of correspondence with members of the first Baptist church in Fredericton, New Brunswick and the extended congregation, reports from ministers on special missions and ministries and financial records.

This fonds consists of business and personal records for members of the Roberts family of Saint John, New Brunswick. Included are correspondence (1806-1819), deeds (1820-1825), bonds (1837), a writ (1844), and business ledgers and journals (1777-1860).

This document is a deed of conveyance, dated 1862, from George and Mary Moffat to the Crown of lots 181 and 182 located in the town of Dalhousie, N. B. The Moffats acquired title to this property in 1858.

Made in 1862, this cahier is a text and notebook on literature and literary works. It is an excellent example of early 20th century schooling material, specifically in terms of literary education. Théophile Allard used the cahier from 1862-1863.

This printed list includes the name of the vessel, its rig, its registered tonnage, where it was built, when it was built, name and address of registered owner or managing or principal owner, and a column for remarks

There are handwritten notations of new ships, vessels lost, and records of crossings, from 1867-1887.

The two major components of this collection are diaries, 1813-1816, 1838-1842, 1855-1870, and correspondence, 1838-1869. There are also speeches, easy and poetry written by James Brown, and a number of documents relating to his political career.

The diaries were kept primarily as a record of work. The first diary shows an established pattern. He described the weather, work done, with whom and for whom, money received or spent, trips, some personal comments. If he made a major change in his work, he was likely to begin a new diary. When he went to work in Maine for a few months in 1816, he mentions keeping a diary there, but reverted to his old diary on his return to Charlotte County.

The diaries of 1838, 1844 and 1855, cover periods of time spent on work assigned by the New Brunswick government -- as supervisor of roads and bridges and as a commissioner to examine the schools -- and are detailed enough to form a basis for official reports. However, Brown had no particular aversion to including personal matters or general observations and all of these diaries contain much that would not appear in his final reports.

In 1856, he resolved to keep a diary on a more regular and unified basis. At the same time he explained his method of making brief notes as he went about his daily tasks and then writing the in his diary as he found leisure to do so. From this time his activates as a politician, family man and farmer were recorded in the same diary.

References to farming can be found throughout the diaries and letters. The diary of 1863-1870, describes daily work on land that Brown cleared fifty years earlier. Some of his theories on agriculture can be found in a speech to the Charlotte County Agricultural Society (MS7/2); and in sections of A Report on Agriculture in New Brunswick by Johnson.

Correspondence, 1838-1869, includes letters to and from Brown, his family, friends, constituents and members of the government. Many contain both personal & political or official matters. For this reason, and because it is useful to use the letters in conjunction with the relevant diary entry, they have been arranged in a straight chronological order.

The number of family letters is relatively small but they do provide a vivid picture of Brown and his family. Most of these letters are from the period of his second marriage to Catherine Cameron.

The correspondence of January-March 1861, contains a number of letters to Brown as Surveyor General and his replies, and give an idea of the variety of issues encountered in that office.

The correspondence of August 1861-June 1862, covers James Brown's trip to England, Ireland, and Scotland. Many friends in New Brunswick gave him letters of introduction and asked him to call on relatives in the old country. A number of these letters give insight into how New Brunswick was promoted to potential immigrants. A few letters dating to this period were written by James Brown's son, John C. Brown, who accompanied him on the trip, to family and friends in New Brunswick.

This fonds consists of a single item -- a time book kept by John Collins of Indiantown, New Brunswick beginning on 2 May 1867. It records the names of employees, the number of days worked, the amount paid per day, the amount paid as wages, and the date of payment.

This fonds consists of James Albert Read's master mariner's certificate which was issued by the Canadian Minister of Marine and Fisheries in 1872.