The materials of the Lawrence Canning Company series comprise a nearly complete set of records and business correspondence. Materials detail the company's operation from 1882 to 1893, when it was closed by J. B. Watkins prior to the 1894 canning season. The plant was then leased to Albert Herning, a former Watkins employee, who operated the plant for several years before it closed.

The series contains bills, receipts, financial statements, and production statistics. Several company ledgers, journals, and letterpress volumes have survived in addition to the financial accounts which were kept as a part of the Watkins' business records. These financial records document the internal operation of the factory as well as the sale and distribution of the annual pack throughout the United States.

The Ridenour and Baker Grocery Company of Kansas City was the major wholesaler for the Lawrence plant and this correspondence forms a significant portion of the series. A unique feature of the series are the financial reports from both the Dun and Bradstreet companies on regional grocers and clients of the Lawrence company. There is also a great deal of correspondence, informational literature, and brochures from manufacturers and suppliers of canning machinery and paraphernalia. This company "junk mail" provides a look at the 19th century technology of the canning business. In addition, several canning labels and graphic materials have survived as a part of the material legacy.