The papers of the Sutton-Martin-Mason family consist largely of the personal correspondence of Rachel Louisa Sutton (familiarly known as Louisa or Lou), the greater majority of the letters being from family and friends in the years before she was married. The letters mostly comment upon personal and family matters but many also relate to the Civil War--including comments on military campaigns, conditions on the homefront, and news of local men serving in the war. A number of letters are written from Martha Washington College (Abingdon, Virginia) and discuss the school, its classes, and related activities. A few of the letters appear to be draft copies of letters written by Sutton to her friends but never mailed.

The collection also contains other papers of David and Louisa Martin, such as deeds, assorted financial records (including personal checks, account statements, receipts, and a notice for the sale of the John Sutton estate), poetry (most of which seems to have been copied from published sources, rather than being original compositions), and general materials (including grade reports for the Martins' children from various Southwest Virginia educational institutions) and assorted ephemera (including a dress pattern fragment cut from a Civil War-era newspaper); and photographs.

The papers of Elinor Mason, comprising one folder, include correspondence, photographs, postcards and assorted ephemera.