The first volume in the collection, "Particulars of an Indian treaty at Conestogoe between his excellency Sir William Keith, bart, governor of Pennsilvania and the deputies of the Five Nations [July 5-8, 1721]," is a manuscript copy of a printed work by Andrew Bradford, with a preface dated July 26. See Colonial Records, 3: 121. The volume regards a meeting between Sinnekaes, Onondagoes, Cayoogoes, Keith, and James Logan. Freeman Guide: 138 and 1769.

This volume is a daily record of purchases of books, paper, quills, ink, and other stationer's supplies. Customers include prominent Philadelphians.

This item is a daily record of professional visits and prescriptions. Some of Shippen's patients were eminent Philadelphians and visitors to the city.

The first volume includes extracts from the journals of Conrad Weiser and Christian Frederick Post (1757), Charles Thomson's "An Enquiry into the causes of the alienation of the Delaware and Shawanese Indians from the British interest" (1759), and a printed version of Judge Bradford's "Statement of facts and observations respecting the penal laws" (1792). The second volume contains selected letters and documents in the Pennsylvania state records on Indian relations, including transcriptions of several treaties between the Province of Pennsylvania and the Delawares and other Indians (1755-1758); the French and Indian War; and Braddock's campaign. Some manuscripts are written by Deborah Norris Logan and Charles Thomson.

Though the Miscellaneous Manuscripts collection is composed of items that do not fall readily into any other existing collection, the two dominant intellectual areas represented in the collection are Early American History and History of Science.