The Goodwater Family correspondence revolves around letters written to and by Mamie Goodwater. The main but not the only focus points for the collection are Chattanooga, Tennessee, Palmyra, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Grand Forks, North Dakota. The earliest letters are from members of the Coss family, including Warren and William Coss the step-father and uncle of Mary Louise (Mamie Goodwater).

The correspondence and records break down into three basic series:

Series 1: Correspondence

Series 2: Correspondence and Records

Series 3: Genealogical Records