The papers of Benjamin Franklin Shambaugh and Bertha Maude Horack Shambaugh are divided into five series: I. Benjamin Franklin Shambaugh, II. Bertha Maude Horack Shambaugh, III. Subject Files, IV. Photographs, V. Realia and oversized. Diplomas and certificates are filed with similar Archives materials in a map case drawer.

Series I: Benjamin Franklin Shambaugh, is sub-divided into six subseries: Correspondence, Manuscripts, Class Notes, Speeches, Benjamin as Teacher, and Hovey Biography.

The Correspondence is arranged chronologically by year, 1886-1953, with undated material alphabetically. Correspondents include John G. Bowman, W.R. Boyd, Johnson Brigham, John Mason Brown, S. Joe Brown, Eve Drewelowe, Will Durant, Hamlin Garland, W. Earl Hall, Virgil M. Hancher, Dorothy D. Houghton, Harvey Ingham, Walter A. Jessup, Laurence C. Jones, Thomas H. Macbride, George E. MacLean, Merle Miller, George T.W. Patrick, Josiah L. Pickard, John Cooper Powys, Herbert Quick, Wiley Rutledge, and W.W. Waymack. Correspondents also include relatives of University of Iowa faculty members and presidents. Letters of sympathy, April 1940, include many from other faculty members. Subjects discussed in the Correspondence include the Amana Society and the University of Iowa Campus Course.

The Biography consists for the most part of a first draft of a biography about Benjamin Shambaugh. Miss Alma Hovey intended to write the biography, and this series represents the material that she deposited with the University of Iowa Archives in 1972. About half of this material consists of notes made from the House Books; the remainder is primarily notes made in preparation for the biography.

Series II: Bertha Maude Horack Shambaugh, has three subseries: Housebooks, Manuscripts, and Speeches.

The House Books are notebooks in which Bertha M.H. Shambaugh recorded events at the house and to some extent in the rest of their lives as well. The House Books contain a good many laid in letters, notes, telegrams and photographs which have separate inventories. The Shambaughs did much entertaining of University guests and the House Books detail these occasions with such information as who attended and the menu served.

Series III: Subject files, are arranged alphabetically and include Amana; calling cards, invitations and notes; Bertha M.H. Shambaugh’s 1910 European trip; greeting cards from the 1880’s; Benjamin F. Shambaugh memorial tributes; the 1939 New York World’s Fair; the Sesquicentennial in Philadelphia in 1926; and Dr. Duren J.H. Ward’s Far-Reaching Foundation Toward Safer Civilization.

Series IV:Photographs, is arranged alphabetically. Photographs are also located in Box 27 and 28 of Series II: Bertha Shambaugh's House Books subseries, the Photograph Record volumes, as well as in Series III: Subject Files, Boxes 34, 36, 37, 39, and 40.

Series V: Realia and oversized is located in box 43.