The collection contains family letters and business papers of the Funkhouser family, and, after 1910, of the Miller family. Most of the papers prior to 1830 are deeds for land in Philadelphia and Virginia. There are two land patents, one signed by Edmund Randolph, governor of Virginia, to Peter Hoshaur, 1788, and one signed by Joseph Johnson, governor of Virginia, to Andrew Funkhouser, 1851.
From the 1830s there are numerous letters from relatives in Virginia, Ohio, Missouri, Indiana, and Wisconsin describing the move westward, religion, railroads, economic conditions, land speculation, opposition to slavery, commerce, Indians, army forts, legal affairs, stock raising, farming, sickness and health, and the Mormon problem in Missouri. Many of these letters are from Funkhouser's son-in-law, John Kerr, a lawyer and speculator. There are also several wills and estate papers.
Civil War letters include items from R. H. Simpson with directions for his home farm and statements about Walker's and Archer's brigades on Funkhouser's land and the amount of wood they used. There is an account book mentioning Confederate Army purchases; papers relating to a claim against the United States for farm buildings, equipment and products burned or seized by order of General Sheridan; and tax in kind estimates and receipts. A diary of Rev. G. H. Snapp of the United Brethren in Christ Church, a brother-in-law of Andrew's son, Casper, discusses his circuit, revivals, conferences, and chaplains in the army; there are also many letters to Snapp down to 1900.
Other letters are from commission merchants in Winchester, Baltimore, Alexandria, and Washington both before and after the Civil War; price current bulletins from Washington, 1890s; and other business letters. Most of the letters after 1880 are from the children of Casper Funkhouser. There is a related genealogical and biographical sketch. These letters describe Shenandoah Seminary, Dayton, Virginia, 1880-1882; Bonebrake Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio; teaching at various places in Ohio, Maryland, Virginia, and New Jersey in the 1880s and 1890s; and family affairs. Papers concerning the family of Edward J. Miller include tax receipts, wheat allotment applications, and condolences on Miller's death.
Printed materials with the collection relate to teaching, insurance, an 1899 civil service examination, and standing orders for a mental hospital. Other business papers include tax receipts for Andrew Funkhouser, 1830-1886; tax receipts on Missouri land, 1850-1880; notes, receipts, and bills. Numerous letters refer to the temperance movement in the United Brethren Church and to Andrew Funkhouser's work as a trustee. In the 1880s there are business papers of the Shenandoah Valley Assembly.
Bound volumes include the roll of shareholders and minutes of the meetings of the Shenandoah Valley Assembly, daybooks, 1847-1861, and a ledger, 1836-1843, of Andrew Funkhouser, a list of the personal property of Jacob R. Funkhouser, 1856, and daybooks of John Bauserman, a merchant of Hawkinstown, Shenandoah County, Virginia.
