Series 1 of this collection primarily covers the period from 1763 through Samuel McDowell Reid's death in 1869. There are also a few later items dealing chiefly with his estate. The bulk of the papers deals with business matters. Documents concern such matters as the James River and Kanawha Company, the North River Navigation Company, Washington College's relationship with the Society of the Cincinnati, slavery, and the financial dealings of John Robinson and the Hare family. Series 2 is comprised of a second set of materials received at a later date. The correspondence supplements that found in Series 1. The other materials consist chiefly of court and other legal records during the 74-year period (1778-1852) in which Andrew and his son, Samuel McDowell Reid, were clerks of the court of Rockbridge County: tavern licenses, taxation lists, apprenticeship deeds, voter lists, militia rolls, invoices, etc. There are also some Washington College papers.

Andrew Reid, Sr. was the father of Samuel McDowell Reid. Andrew's other son, Andrew Reid, Jr., is represented in the collection. All of Samuel McDowell Reid's children are represented in the collection as well: William Hare Reid, Henry Cabell Reid, Mary Louisa Reid, Samuel McDowell Reid, Jr., and Agnes Jane Reid.

Clerk of Court: According to Fairfax County (Va.)'s Historic Records Center, the Clerk of Court provided services such as recording documents, issuing court orders, taking despositions, making inventories, processing estates, and keeping records of births, deaths, and marriages. Clerks would also collect taxes. They collected fees for services rendered which was their initial source of income.