The collection consists of the papers of Charles H. Martin; his father-in-law, Ellis G. Hughes; and their families. Martin's papers document both his military career and his political career. A significant portion of Martin's military papers concern his service in World War I, particularly his command of the 90th Division when it occupied western Germany in the war's immediate aftermath. These papers also include a large number of photographs from Martin's time commanding U.S. troops in the Panama Canal Zone from 1925 to 1927. Martin's papers also include correspondence and invitations from a number of people and organizations, including many U.S. military and political figures of the early 20th century; and condolence letters and cards sent to his family following his death.

A significant portion of Ellis G. Hughes' papers concern his involvement in the development of neighborhoods in northeastern Portland, Oregon, particularly Irvington. Hughes' papers also contain correspondence and records from his other business dealings, court records of cases he was involved in, personal correspondence, and correspondence and ephemera relating to Hughes' travels in Europe during the 1890s.

Other family members' papers consist of correspondence, diaries, photographs, and ephemera of Louise Martin (1868-1954), who was Ellis G. Hughes' daughter and Charles H. Martin's wife; a history written by Charles Martin's father, Samuel H. Martin; papers, photographs, and ephemera of Charles Martin and Louise Martin's children, Ellis H. Martin, Samuel H. Martin, and Jane Pyne; and envelopes with notes, primarily by Louise Martin and Jane Pyne, about papers and photographs that the family held onto for posterity.