The collection consists of selected correspondence, manuscripts, and documents of members of the Shippen family of Philadelphia, some of which relates to the history of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) and its move from Newark to Princeton, N.J. Members of the Shippen family represented are Edward Shippen; his sons, Edward and Joseph Shippen; his father, William Shippen; his brother, William Shippen, Jr.; and Thomas Lee Shippen. Correspondents include Aaron Burr, John Lawrence, Gov. John Penn, and Jonathan Sergeant. Included are copies ("Coll[ege] of New Jersey, Edward Shippen letters, extracts: 1750-1761, furnished by Edward Armstrong, Esq., Ap[ril] 27, 1850") of correspondence between Edward Shippen, Sr., his sons, and others regarding the move of the College. Additional Princeton-related letters include a letter from William Shippen to Jonathan Sergeant, dated 2 April 1759, about the purchase of "leather buckets" for the College; a letter from Joseph Shippen to his father, dated 20 April 1751, about the meeting of the Trustees of the College to decide on a new location; a letter from Joseph Shippen to his father regarding the "College Lottery" account, dated Newark, 20 May 1751; and a letter from Edward Shippen, Sr., to the Rev. Aaron Burr, dated 26 February 1757, about the evils of smoking and alcohol on the education of young people.

Additional material includes a letterbook, titled "Compendium Romana Historia" ((1749-1751, 44 leaves), that contains copies of letters of Joseph Shippen to his father, brother, and others, and a manuscript of an oration, titled "Oratio salutatoria habita in comitus Academicis novarcae in Nova-Caesaria, sexto calendas octobris, 1753" (24 pp., bound in floral wallpaper-covered wrappers), which was delivered by Joseph Shippen to the governing body of the College of New Jersey and its president, the Rev. Aaron Burr.

Also included are the Last Will and Testament of William Shippen, dated 1 September 1783; a biographical sketch of William Shippen written by his daughter; a deed for land in Western New Jersey owned by William Shippen, signed by Samuel Shoemaker and dated 20 May 1767; and a portrait of William Shippen, Jr., drawn by a daughter of Samuel Blair.