The collection is focussed on Louis-Joseph Papineau and his wife, but includes correspondence of Denis-Benjamin Papineau, his brother, and Louis-Joseph-Amédée Papineau, his son. The papers are varied: family, commercial, military, legal political, judicial and historical. Collection also consists of 3 copies on negative of glass of 2 portraits of Toussaint Papineau (1798-1869), priest of Pointe-aux-Trembles and a portrait of Augustin Papineau both brothers of Louis-Joseph Papineau. Collection also contains one portrait silhouette of Louis-Joseph-Amédée Papineau, July 1840, by Auguste Edouart.
The series contain personal and political correspondence of Joseph, Denis-Benjamin, Louis-Joseph and Louis-Joseph-Amédée Papineau; legal and estate papers; transcriptions of historical documents made by Louis-Joseph Papineau; correspondence relating to the construction of a new church; "Journal d'un fils de la Liberté..." by Amédée Papineau; papers of the Seigneurie de la Petite-Nation; miscellaneous documents including an account book, drafts of legislation and a "guest book" for the Montebello Manor. One particular series contains correspondence between Andrew McDonald, his sister Marie-Louise, her husband, Casimir-Fidèle Papineau, and their daughter Mercedes.