This collection is divided into four series, two of which have been further arranged in subseries. The Accretions from other family are arranged into a separate series that includes photocopies of correspondence.

Series I, Manly Family

Subseries 1, Correspondence 1817-1892, Boxes 1-4

Subseries 2, Published Material, 1851-1892; Ephemera, Box 5

Subseries 3, Artifacts, Box 6

Series II, Basil Manly, Sr., 1818-1867

Subseries 1, Sermons and Sermon Outlines, Boxes 7-8

Subseries 2, Correspondence, 1832 – 1868; Personal Papers Box 9

Series III, Basil Manly, Jr., 1840-1853 Boxes 10-13; Oversize folder

Box 10, Writings Essays, speeches, sermons, hymns and poems, diaries

Box 11, Manuscripts

Box 12, Writings, Publications, and Personal Materials; Oversize – Map case 2, drawer 4

Box 13, Envelopes with CSA Postage

Series IV, Accretions, photocopies

Acc. 1985-170, Correspondence, photocopies, Box 14

Acc. 1987-174, Correspondence, legal papers, poems, Box 15

The bulk of the Basil Manly Family Papers consists of correspondence. The collection also contains manuscripts, sermons, published material, writings, poetry, diaries, essays, a notebook, a scrapbook, a military pass, a pardon, journals, daguerreotypes, artifacts and ephemera.

Series I consists of Family correspondence 1817-1892, beginning with letters from Basil Manly Sr. to his father. The majority of letters are from Basil Manly, Jr. to his parents. Members of the Manly family include Charles Manly, educator; Charles Matthews Manly, aeronautical engineer; and John Matthews Manly, educator and author.

The Printed Material consists of essays by Basil Manly, Jr. The Artifacts include daguerreotypes of Basil Manly Sr. and Jr. The ephemera includes grade reports, programs and a pocket guide.

Series II consists of materials by or from Basil Manly, Sr. (1829-1865). The bulk of this series consists of his sermons between 1829 and 1865. Manly’s papers also contain personal correspondence and essays.

Series III consists of materials by or from Basil Manly, Jr. (1840-1853). The bulk of this series consists of his personal writings between 1840 and 1853. Manly’s papers also contain personal correspondence and essays. Also of interest is a Military Pass for B. Manly, Jr., 15 Dec. 1864, an Amnesty Oath and Petition for Pardon, 1865, and a Pardon of Basil Manly, Jr. by President Andrew Jackson, 12 Sept. 1865. This series also contains a notebook, "Scraps of Rhyme, by Basil Manly, Jr.”; and letters from Basil Manly, Jr. to his daughter Charlotte Broadus “Lottie” Manly (1882-1978) from 1885-1886. Box 13 contains envelopes with Confederate States of America (CSA) Postage previously separated from their contents.

Series IV consists of two accretions. Accretion 1985-170 consists of photocopies of correspondence. Accretion 1987-174 consists of correspondence, legal papers, and poems. The correspondence is mostly with his mother-in-law, Rosannah "Caroline" Summers (1812–1893).