The majority of the collection consists of the business papers of Hugh Henry Brackenridge, including receipts, agreements, stock, and correspondence related to various properties. Some of the property transactions were officiated by Andrew Watson on behalf of Brackenridge. Many of the same plots of property change hands throughout the papers; deeds, leases, and other documents are witnessed by a variety of Pittsburgh residents. The collection contains an undated sketch of Watson family plots, some of which correspond to properties referenced elsewhere in this collection. The papers also contain a number of deeds Andrew Watson held on land purchased from Sabina Brackenridge following the death of her husband. A small number of papers relate to the same plots of land exchanged by members of the Brackenridge and Watson families after the deaths of Brackenridge and Andrew Watson in 1816 and 1823, respectively. There are also references in the collection to Brackenridge's financial support of his sister-in-law, Mary. A number of other people are mentioned peripherally in the papers, and are listed in the itemized scope content notes below, including Isaac Gregg, James Alexander, George Wallace, James G. Herron, G.J. Woods, John Wilkins, Jeremiah Barker, McKean, Ross, Edward McCuen, "Negro Phillip," William Cunningham, John Park, Abnes Barker, David Wallace, Matthew Logan, Henry Wolfe, Tom Hayes, a witness with the surname Irwin, and Zadok Cramer. As an additional note, Brackenridge's reputation for poor penmanship is well deserved, making many of the items in this collection difficult to decipher. Please note that Brackenridge is often referred to as "H.H. Brackenridge" or "H.H." within the papers.
