This collection contains the papers of Betsy Jane Tenney Loose, which consists of correspondence, documents, and one 1866 diary, materials which span the period of 1809 to 1900. The correspondence, both Betsy's and her immediate family, discusses family matters, financial concerns, violence in Nauvoo, Illinois against Latter-day Saints, the Muddy River Valley, life in Payson, and polygamy. Other documents include materials relating to the establishment of a school in Payson and Betsy's teaching career, poetry, patriachical blessings, and a biography of Betsy. Betsy's 1866 diary records the experiences of the Simons family on the Virgin River in southeastern Nevada, where they established a grist mill near the modern-day town of St. Joseph, Nevada. Her diary contains a regular log of her personal feelings, progress on the mill, status of workers and provisions, the goings-on of fellow settlers, and her personal labors. Of the six known diaries kept at the Muddy River Mission, Betsy's diary is the only known one kept by a woman.

Box 1 contains Betsy's 1866 diary (Fd 1), Betsy's outgoing and incoming correspondence from 1834—1900 (Fds 2—18), and Robert Loose's incoming correspondence from 1841—1854 (Fds 19—23). Outgoing correspondence has been organized chronologically by sender and incoming correspondence has been organized alphabetically by the last name of the sender and chronologically. Box 2 contains documents relating to Robert Loose and Betsy, such as patriachical blessings, financial papers, school papers, poetry, a biography of Betsy, third party correspondence, and other papers.