The fonds consists of materials related to the personal and business activities of William Porte. Included are diaries, ledgers, and albums and scrapbooks of newspaper clippings. Some material from two of his children (Fred W. and Ida Kate Porte) is included. William Porte’s papers provide an excellent snapshot in the life of a growing Ontario town in the late 19th century. In recent years, Porte's personal papers have been studied and cited extensively, most notably by those researching the infamous February 4, 1880 murder of the Donnelly family. Fonds is comprised of the following series: Diaries Newspaper clippings and scrapbooks Ida Kate Porte’s journal Added material