The J. Rhodes Browne and Rhodes Browne Collection primarily consists of financial and legal records, documents of the Columbus, Georgia companies and holdings of John Rhodes Browne and his son, Rhodes Browne, and additional personal family records. There are many folders on the genealogy of the family members. There are also papers relating to the wives of both men, Roberta Harrison Yonge Browne (1841-1932) of Savannah and Nina Young Browne (1869-1946) of Lexington, Kentucky. The earliest papers and receipts date to before the Civil War.

The folders in Box 1 and 2 are arranged in alphabetical order by topic with the date delineating the contents of the folder. There is no division between the papers of John Rhodes Browne, the father, and Rhodes Browne, the son, except by dates on the folders. Box 2 also contains the photos of the family silver collection which was compiled into the book, From London to Shanghai, 1780-1920.

Box 3, an over-sized flat box, contains over-sized items, photos, letters and newspapers. Again the folders are in alphabetical order. Additionally this box contains books belonging to the family including prayer books, hymnals and a date book.

Box 4 contains a number of miscellaneous items of the family; receipt books, an autograph album, scrapbook, medal pin, opera glasses, r. Browne's ring, and an iron locomotive replica, along with other momentos.

Box 5 contains material added after original collection was created.