This collection contains correspondence between the Ward, Howe, and Richards families. These letters discuss topic such as religion and divine providence, personal finance, domestic concerns, life in Boston in the 19th century, and death and illness in the family. The correspondence of Julia Ward Howe concerns women's suffrage, writing and publishing in several journals (including the New York Observer, Ladies' Home Journal, and Century magazine), and a letter to President Roosevelt concerning foreign policy. Letters written by Samuel Howe to his daughter discuss travels in Greece. Correspondence of Rosalind Richards includes many letters from Louis Vernon Ledoux concerning donating papers to Harvard, writing and publishing, and also letters from poet Harold Trowbridge Pulsifer. The collection also consists of literary manuscripts of Julia Ward Howe, including "Education in Regard of Sex," "Is Polite Society Polite?" and manuscripts concerning women's suffrage, women's work and wages, philosophy, marriage, and government. Also includes plays written by Julia Ward Howe based on various fairy tales and other subjects. Collection contains a playbill and script of Hippolytus written by Julia Ward Howe, which was produced at the Tremont Theater.

• In English.

Julia Ward Howe authored the "Battle Hymn of the Republic" and participated in women's suffrage as a club leader and lecturer. In Feb. 1862, the Atlantic Monthly published her poem "Battle Hymn of the Republic" which she wrote in 1861 during a visit to an army camp near Washington, D.C. Her husband Dr. Samuel Gridley Howe was director of the Perkins Institute for the Blind, Boston. Among their daughters were authors Laura Elizabeth Howe Richards and Maud Howe Elliott. Their granddaughter was Rosalind Richards (the donor).