The bulk of the additions to the Hoard Papers consists of general correspondence, nearly all of it incoming letters, from August 1887 to December 1918, with most of it dating from March 1888 to March 1909. It is arranged first in chronological order, and alphabetically thereunder. There is also a small subject file divided into three categories. The first is a general subject file, arranged in alphabetical order. The second file, which is arranged chronologically, contains material pertaining to Hoard's involvement in the St. Louis World's Fair of 1904. The third file concerns Hoard's activities while he was connected with the University Board of Regents. It is subdivided by type of material and arranged chronologically.

The General Correspondence File, which includes Hoard's business and personal correspondence, deals mainly with agricultural matters, concentrating on problems of the dairy industry. Other topics of discussion include Hoard's Dairyman, Hoard's activities in the Grand Army of the Republic, and political events. The nature of the correspondence during his term as Governor, 1889-1890, is generally political, including many requests for political appointments and discussion of the Bennett Law. Included in the correspondence for March 1890 is an interesting survey made of the Wisconsin circuit courts, compiling a record of the number of cases in which the defendants or witnesses were unable to speak English. One letterbox covering the period of Hoard's governorship which originally had been kept separate has been interfiled with general correspondence as the separated letters are of an identical nature to the general correspondence.

The General Subject File consists of non-correspondence materials removed from Hoard's all-inclusive correspondence file. These materials comprise thirteen categories including advertisements, campaign literature, cards and addresses, clippings, financial records, Governor's business, Hoard's writings, pedigrees of cattle, programs of business and social affairs, and written materials not authored by Hoard. A Club File includes items such as meeting agenda, constitutions, and petitions of various organizations to which Hoard belonged, and the List File incorporates various lists of articles to order and people whom Hoard contacted during his campaign. Also in this section are family photographs presented by heirs of the Hoard family in 1954.

The St. Louis World's Fair Correspondence File, 1903-1905, was kept separate by Hoard and his arrangement has been preserved. However, correspondence pertaining to the Fair is also included in the General Correspondence File. This File deals with the Wisconsin exhibit at the St. Louis World's Fair and embraces both general correspondence and that from Grant Thomas, the Secretary of the Wisconsin Board of Managers of the Fair.

The University Board of Regents File relates to Hoard's membership on the Board from 1907 to 1911. It consists of correspondence, financial records, various lists of University bodies, the official proceedings of the Board meetings, and reports. There is also a small file of miscellaneous and unidentified materials.