Fonds consists of correspondence, articles, diaries, subject files, news clippings, scrapbooks, photographs, manuscript notes, notebooks, cartoons, watercolours, and medals. Adam Shortt's involvement with Queen's University, his work as Chairman of the Civil Service Commission, his work as first Chairman of the Board of Historical Publications of the Public Archives, his active career as a public speaker, and his creative output are all reflected in the papers. There is also a large series of autographs that Shortt collected over the course of his life.
Scrapbook contains original poems and drawings related to Kingston about 1840-1846. There is a coloured lithograph of St. George's Cathedral after its renovations in 1846, drawings and watercolours of other Kingston scenes.
Daybook lists many local United Empire Loyalist names such as John Canniff, Major Van Alsie, Peter Young, Sills, Trumpour and Roblin. Includes a record of sales to Reuben Bedell of Adolphustown, in November 1797, who appeared to be a travelling salesman.
The fonds consists of the immediate and related business and legal venture of the Scovil family in the regards to their general store business. The bulk of the fonds consists of ledgers, daybooks and record books of the Scovil General Store through three successive owners. The related legal documents pertain to wills and testaments, mortgages, quit claims, indentures and land transfers. Of particular interest is volume 41 which includes eight pages of medicinal recipes.
This fonds consists of correspondence, minutes, financial records, photos and newspaper clippings relating to the Chown Hardware Firm. There is only one folder from the 1864-1870 period. The majority of this collection deals with the business in the 1950s, and 60s. This record reflects the growth and operation of a local Kingston business.
The fonds consists of correspondence, assessment rolls, minutes and resolutions of council, school board records, financial and legal records, petitions, contracts and miscellaneous items relating to the village of Portsmouth from its incorporation as a village to 1951 shortly before its annexation to the city of Kingston in 1952
