Unidentified group photographs and portraits of the O’Bleness family’s relatives and friends

The materials in this collection date as far back as 1866 and end about 1969. The collection contains eight boxes. Most of the folders contain photographs of the O'Bleness family, their relatives, friends, pets, classmates, teammates, the locations they visited, and their homes and other landmarks in Athens, Ohio. There are also five photographs of the wreck of the "Shenandoah" near Caldwell, Ohio. Most of the photographs were taken in or near Athens, Ohio, but some were taken in Daytona Beach, Florida; Silver Springs, Florida; Findlay, Ohio; Ashland, Ohio; Hamilton, Ontario, Canada; and Arcadia, California. Materials in box one are grouped by family members, including Henry, Josephine, Harry, Charles, Ralph, Abe, and Ada O'Bleness. These folders contain photographs, letters, memorial records, and funeral notices associated with each family member. Henry, Charles, and Ralph's folders also contain biographical files holding articles and essays describing their lives and accomplishments. These articles often mention Athens, Ohio, and Ohio University, as well as the influence these men had on the town and institution. Materials in box two include the photographs, wedding invitation, letters, school assignments, and sorority initiation certificate of Mame O'Bleness and Fred Hutchinson.

The collection contains correspondence between members of the O'Bleness family and their friends and colleagues. Letters have been placed in the folders belonging to their author or, if the author is someone outside of the immediate O'Bleness family, the letters are placed in the folder of the person who received the letter. The rest of the materials in the collection are separated by type of material. Photographs that include descriptions or identifications have been separated from unidentified photographs. Many photographs of the O'Bleness family's relatives and friends have been identified and information about these identifications are included both in the container list and on the folders. Other forms of correspondence in the collection include postcards and a greeting card.

Other materials contained in the collection include academic materials used by members of the O'Bleness family, such as school notebooks and an arithmetic textbook titled Arithmetic by Analysis- A New Method. There are multiple other books, including a booklet titled "And He Wants to Grow Up to Be a Druggist," a book titled A New Handbook of the Boston Public Library and its Mural Decorations, the book Friendship by Henry David Thoreau, and the novel Eneas Africanus by Harry Stillwell Edwards.

The collection contains two ledgers, one owned by Henry Sr. and one owned by Charles. There are bank materials such as envelopes and bank notes from the Athens Security Bank. There are also two event programs, one for an 1894 Athens Highschool Commencement program and one for the Centennial Eat of the B.W.P.S.W. There is one tri-fold-fan depicting the last supper. The collection contains locks of hair belonging to from Ralph, Charles, Mame, and Josephine O'Bleness. The collection also holds Charles O'Bleness' 1891 Athens High School Diploma, Charles O'Bleness' Ohio University Bachelor of Science Diploma, and Henry and Josephine's 1871 marriage certificate.