The Marshall family papers document to varying degrees of completeness the activity of five generations of Holmes, Marshall, DeAngelis and related families who settled early in central and western New York. The papers reveal primarily the internal workings of the family centered around Orsamus and Millicent Marshall: their attitudes and far-flung family relationships, their social position, the rearing of children and their growth, and the travels of and intellectual activities of family members. Other papers of interest are the records of the family legal firm, records and papers relating to the organizations and clubs in which members of the family played a part, and an eyewitness account of the Battle of Valcour Island on Lake Champlain, a naval battle of the War of 1812.

Paul G. Reilly served as attorney of record for the land claims initiated by the Seneca Nation of Indians and the Tonawanda Band of Seneca before the Indian Land Commission between 1948 and 1976. This collection is unique because it is the most complete collection of primary source materials on the Iroquois/Seneca Indians treaties and agreements found in one location. It contains materials culled from primary and secondary sources by Reilly, Fleming and Reilly, Counselors at Law between 1948 and 1970. The collection originally contained 48 boxes when delivered to SUNY Buffalo State. During reprocessing these 48 boxes became 14 containers; the items were rehoused and retain all original documents. A guide to boxes and container contents can be found in the front of the collection inventory. The vast majority of documents in the collection are photoduplications/photocopies of original documents located in other repositories throughout the United States.

Personal and professional papers of William Clement Bryan, an attorney who came to work in Buffalo in 1854.