The six folders in this collection consist primarily of Mary Sheldon's composition book, essays detached from the composition book, and other miscellaneous material. The composition book, 1842-1853, includes essays titled "Duties of Students", "The Sabbath", "Women and Politics", "History of the facts relative to the late Illness of our Literary Society" (read August 29, 1849), and "The Circuit Preacher." Essays detached from Sheldon's composition book, 1850-1852, include pieces on "Our Duty to the Oppressed", signed Mary, May 28th 1850; "Ladies Anti-Slavery Society"; and "New Discoveries in Chemistry", n.d. Other materials include introspective personal essays and other essays by Mary Sheldon, 1850, 1852; correspondence from Sheldon to the Ladies Literary Society, Oberlin, n.d.; and, miscellaneous materials, 1836.

The papers of Mary Sheldon were donated to the Oberlin College Archives by Barbara Anuta, Boulder Historical Society, Boulder, Colorado, on May 18, 1989. The collection was assigned accession number 1989/98.