The Atwood, Ormsby and Green Family Papers consist of seven series: GENEALOGICAL/HISTORICAL, CORRESPONDENCE, ARTIST SUBJECT FILES, PERSONAL PAPERS, NEWS CLIPPINGS, PUBLICATIONS, and PHOTOGRAPHS.
The GENEALOGICAL/HISTORICAL series contains genealogical information culled by Eleanor Green Piel about the maternal side of her family. The correspondence and lengthy genealogical records she received trace the family's genealogy back to the early eighteenth century. The genealogical materials include not only the Wisconsin Ormsby family line but also the many Ormsby/Ormsbee lines in the Ohio and Midwestern area. The majority of the legal documents within this series are very sparse though the Abstract of Title for Bonnie Oaks does detail the ownership changes from 1853 to 1927.
The CORRESPONDENCE series contains outgoing family correspondence from all branches of the family, predominantly from the 1860s-1870s, arranged by author. The bulk of this concerns Alma Atwood Ormsby and John Whitney Ormsby. Alma Atwood Ormsby wrote numerous letters to her parents, and also received a vast quantity of letters, particularly from her cousins Ellen Willson and Laura Bascom. Alma Atwood and John Whitney Ormsby also corresponded with each other, and some of these letters illustrate initial stages of their courtship and progressive stages of their relationship. Correspondence from the Green family is very sparse with the use of nicknames common throughout, including names such as Oddie (Harrison S. Green), Daisy (Mildred Ormsby Green), Tokie (Katherine Green), and Sis (Eleanor Green). Other correspondence consists of very general letters from uncles, aunts, cousins, brothers, and sisters to various members of the Atwood, Ormsby, and Green families. There is very little post-1900 correspondence.
The ARTIST SUBJECT FILES series includes news clippings and correspondence to members of the Green family from artists who visited Bonnie Oaks and dates from the 1920s through the 1980s. The two most prominent correspondents are William Maxwell and Jean Toomer. All of Maxwell's letters are to Eleanor Green discussing everyday matters and artistic endeavors. Letters from Jean Toomer are primarily to Katherine Green, though some may be intended for her husband Charles Dupee. These letters date from 1933 through 1936, following Margery Latimer's death and Toomer's subsequent marriage to Marjorie Content, who also adds on to Toomer's letters. As Toomer was close with both Katherine Green and Charles Dupee, the letters discuss intimate issues and offer extensive advice regarding the relationship. A smaller portion of the correspondence, but one of note, is that of Proschowski and the Robesons. It appears from letters that Mildred Green wrote to Proschowski and Paul Robeson introducing them to each other, at which time Robeson became a student of Proschowski.
The PERSONAL PAPERS series consists of daily diaries, two kept by John Whitney Ormsby in 1862 and 1863, and one by Alma Atwood in 1866. Brief daily entries in John Whitney Ormsby's diaries discuss events of the day, weather, traveling and health concerns, and the aftermath of the Civil War.
The NEWS CLIPPINGS series documents various noteworthy events over the years such as weddings, a case in which Harrison S. Green participated, book reviews on works published by Eleanor Green, and Mildred Ormsby Green's participation as a leader in the Girl Scouts. Bonnie Oaks often inspired human interest stories exploring the estate's past and also served as a site for a tree dedication ceremony.
The PUBLICATIONS consist of one published book of short stories and novellas written by Eleanor Green, as well as a few poems published in a pamphlet produced by a school attended by her.
The PHOTOGRAPHS series includes images of family members from the 1850s through the 1970s, as well as artists from the 1920s and the 1930s. Family photographs are fairly comprehensive, and a number follow a particular family member from childhood, through adulthood and into his or her later years. Many of these family photographs also depict the various activities family and friends engaged in at Bonnie Oaks such as sports, plays, hunting, traveling, swimming, and canoeing. The photographs of various artists include formal portraits with inscriptions as well as informal snapshots of the artists at Bonnie Oaks and with the Green family.
