The Conover Papers were received and organized in two separate parts. Part I is the original collection received in 1967. It has been assigned call number Mss 20, dates 1843 to 1924, and consists of 3 archives boxes. Part I consists chiefly of correspondence relating to personal affairs. References in the letters are made to religion and to education in Wisconsin, but Conover's ideas concerning these topics and the University of Wisconsin in particular, will be found mainly in folders of his writings (Box 2). Most of the correspondence is with Mrs. Sarah Fairchild Dean, 1866-1882, whom he married in 1882; and Wilbur Conover, his brother, whose letters, 1845-1879, relate to family and business affairs in Dayton, Ohio. Letters in 1853 and 1854 show his interest in helping to form the Wisconsin State Colonization Society as an auxiliary to the American Colonization Society, for the purpose of helping colored people who wished to go to Liberia, West Africa, to settle.
There are a few letters from Julia Conover, O. M. Conover's first wife, and from his children, Edith W., Allan D., and Frederic K. In addition, Part I of the collection contains genealogical material with information relating to the various branches of the Conover family, and especially to the descendants of Obadiah Berlew Conover. One folder contains miscellaneous documents concerning Conover's financial affairs, i.e. indentures, mortgages, and receipts; and one folder has poetry written by Edith W. Conover.
Part II of the Conover Papers was received in the Archives in 1970. This part was assigned call number Mss 147, dates 1842 to 1884, and consists of 1 archives box. Part II includes correspondence, speeches and writings, diaries, printed poetry by Conover, a printed eulogy on his death, and miscellaneous other materials. Probably of most interest to a biographer, the major quantity of papers consists of drafts of speeches and essays written by Conover while a student in Ohio and New Jersey. Next largest in quantity are pocket diaries maintained sporadically by Conover between 1865 and 1879. Their notations are extremely brief and usually concern his daily activities with occasional notations of weather conditions or financial transactions.
The correspondence found in Part II is small in quantity and scattered in date; it includes business letters and letters to and from family and friends. One topic of interest in the undated materials is a law case involving a claim by the real estate firm Delaplaine and Burdick to Madison land originally deeded to James D. Doty and others. Conover was apparently involved in the case in a legal capacity and arguments and notes are included in these papers.
Arrangement of Part II is chronological.
