The Drinkwater papers consist primarily of correspondence and ship papers of Theophilus Drinkwater and Allen Drinkwater, Jr. of North Yarmouth, Maine. The correspondence to Theophilus Drinkwater is from his brothers and sisters while his letters are to his wife, instructing her on household and business affairs.

Following this correspondence is a group of ships papers. These bills and receipts are organized by the name of the vessel, and then chronologically. The ship papers of Theophilus Drinkwater relate to the Schooners Ardent, Diomede, Atlas, and Citizen and the Brigs Spartan and Washington. These documents consist primarily of bills and receipts, bills of lading, a few manifests, a charter agreement, and a ship log.

In addition to the papers of Theophilus Drinkwater, there is a small group belonging to his brother Allen, Jr. His papers are comprised of business correspondence and two receipts.