Although consisting primarily of newspaper and magazine clippings, this collection also contains copies of Smith Family wills, accounts, correspondence and other materials including several pictures of family members and friends.

Julian Smith Bacon gathered the materials of this collection, which is primarily associated with his grandfather, Peter Smith, younger brother Jedediah Strong Smith, during the 1920s. Peter Smith was a trader on the Santa Fe Trail with his brother when the latter was killed by Comanches (1831). Later, Peter was one of the Executors of Jedediah Smith's will.

Collection is open for research.