The Colman papers document the personal lives of the Colman family, of whom Charles Lane Colman became an important figure in La Crosse, Wisconsin. The collection is made up mostly of personal correspondence to Rev. and Mrs. Henry Root Colman from his three sons and one daughter. The collection is divided into six sections, each corresponding to a different family member; Rev. Henry Root Colman, his sons Charles Lane Colman, Elihu Colman, Rev. Henry Colman, his daughter Julia Colman (letters), and his sister Julia Colman (essays). Julia Colman's essays have a scholarly slant and say nothing about the Colman family. They cover the years 1847-1851.