This collection (1880s-1980s) concerns the Holt family of Smithfield in Johnston County, North Carolina, and the Henderson family in Conecuh County, Alabama, and the Wilson family of Harrison and Detroit, Michigan who are related through marriage. The Holt family material mainly concerns William and Nancy Holt and their children and includes correspondence, diaries, school records, 16 mm films, photographs, and documents such as oil and gas leases in Texas related to William's work with The Texas Company (part of Texaco). The larger portion of the material is related to the other two families and includes correspondence, photographs (tintypes through color snapshots), ledger books and deeds (many related to timber purchases in Alabama and Michigan), and undated plat books for Michigan.