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The Pool family papers contain financial records and other material related to Joseph Pool of Abington, Massachusetts, and to his daughter Lydia.

The Pool family papers contain penmanship exercises, a shoemaker's account book, financial accounts, receipts, and other material related to Joseph Pool of Abington, Massachusetts, and to his daughter Lydia.

The Penmanship Exercises series is primarily made up of a small penmanship book that Lydia Pool kept in the early 19th century. The exercises on pages 1-28 repeat proverbs and simple phrases, and pages 29-44 have poems, including Lydia's lengthy narrative poem "The Four Indian Kings & A young Lady of England." The series also includes 2 ink sketches and an example of the penmanship of "A. B."

The primary item in the Receipts and Accounts series is a shoemaker's account book (1764-1791), which lists the amounts that clients paid for "shoes," "pumps," and "heels." Interspersed among these entries are accounts related to farm work, such as hoeing, mowing, and planting. Several members of the Pool and Dyer families are mentioned in the volume. The receipts (1743-1809) pertain to individual payments for goods and services. Many pertain to the finances of Jacob Pillsbury, for whom Joseph Pool served as estate executor, and to Benjamin Pool; Christopher Dyer signed several of the items.

The Ephemera series consists of an illustrated reward of merit and a blank calling card.

The Rufus Robbins family papers contain correspondence addressed to Rufus Robbins, who served in the 7th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment during the Civil War. Members of the Robbins family described life on the home front, shared news of local families, and discussed shoemaking.

The Rufus Robbins family papers contain 16 letters addressed to Robbins, who served with the 7th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment during the Civil War. In 15 letters, members of the Robbins family, all strong Union supporters, described life in South Abington, Massachusetts; provided news of local families; and discussed their work. Their letters reveal optimism about the war and apprehensions for soldiers' welfare. Ruth Barrows, Rufus's sister, shared her belief that the war would be short and mentioned her anxiety about her husband's expected enlistment (August 4, 1861). Edwin Robbins, Rufus's youngest brother, wrote about shoemaking, a trade he entered to supplement his family's income from farming. The final item is a letter from R. Rowles to "R. Robbins" about the Catholic Church (July 7, 1860).