1858-1906, n.d.

The collection, consisting of photocopies of letters, genealogies, military documents, newspaper clippings, and modern reproductions of family photographs, pertains to the families of Alexander May Shannon and William B. Scott, Shannon's father in-law. The Shannon Family correspondence includes all periods of Shannon's life, including , his insurance business, and letters about Galveston harbor. The Scott Family correspondence includes letters to Bettie Scott (Shannon's mother-in-law) from non-relatives and her husband, as well as letters to other members of the family. Highlights of the collection are a number of letters written by Shannon and Scott regarding U.S. Civil War battles (including the battle at Galveston) and daily life and living conditions in the army.

The collection consists of photocopies of the original letters, documents and photographs still in the possession of the donor(s). There are some typed transcripts of letters. There is a handwritten inventory describing the contents of the more interesting letters located in the control folder, Woodson Research Center. Some of the photocopies are difficult to read due to the poor copy quality.