Correspondence received by Edwin F. Atkins (EFA) in Boston came primarily from correspondents in Cuba regarding Soledad estate business. Letters from Soledad estate managers J. S. Murray and J. N. S. Williams and chemist William Skafie are included, as are those from various business agents such as Esteban and Joaquin de la Torriente of Torriente Brothers and Federico de Mazarredo, the Atkins' shipping agent in Cienfuegos. Letters dating from 1895 to 1899 concern the war in Cuba and were written by, among others, William Day and Alvin Adee, Assistant Secretaries of State; John Hay, Secretary of State; and Dupuy du Lome, the Spanish representative in Washington, DC.

Later incoming correspondence relates to the sugar tariff and Cuban Reciprocity Treaty (1902). EFA testified before Congress several times in relation to the sugar tariff, and box 2 contains a letter from Senator Henry Cabot Lodge on the sugar tariff (1912). For private correspondence between EFA and Soledad estate managers J.S. Murray and L.F. Hughes, see Series IV. Soledad Sugar Co. Records.

The letters in these volumes span many years and several topics. Copies of EFA's outgoing correspondence were retained, and these letters chiefly document EFA's business in Cuba, the focus of which was the Soledad estate in Cienfuegos. Letters in the first three volumes relate to the litigation that led to the acquisition of Soledad by the Atkinses. The bulk of the letters in this series relate to the general management of Soledad, including cane planting and the weather, sugar sales, the building of a railroad on the estate, labor, machinery and equipment, housing and other amenities, visitors to the estate, and livestock. EFA also wrote about various aspects of the sugar business, reporting on the state of the sugar market, sugar prices, competition from other locations and from beet sugar, and advances in sugar producing technology. Some of the letters were written by EFA from Soledad during annual visits in the winter (often January through March). These are noted in the container list as "(from Cuba)."

Many letters in these books relate to debts owed to E. Atkins & Co. or EFA by estate owners in Cuba. These letters are to the debtors themselves, such as J. R. Jova, or to the Atkins' Cuban agent, Torriente Brothers. Debts were often settled through the transfer of land mortgages or titles.

In the 1890s, EFA's letters document the war in Cuba and the measures taken to protect his properties and interests there, including the employment of armed guards at Soledad and his relations with the local Spanish militia and insurgent troops. Letters from the early 1900s document the establishment of a botanical garden at Soledad and Harvard University's assistance with it beginning in 1901. EFA was actively interested in this project until he transferred its full operation to Harvard in 1919. The garden then became known as the Harvard Botanical Station. For private correspondence between EFA and Soledad estate managers J.S. Murray and L.F. Hughes, see Series IV. Soledad Sugar Co. Records.

For EFA's diaries from 1872 and 1877, see Series VI. Diaries.

After the Spanish-American War, EFA sued the Spanish government for damages to his properties in Cuba, the Soledad and Trinidad estates. The Spanish Claims materials consist of correspondence regarding the damages sustained and letters between Edwin F. Atkins and his lawyer, Crammond Kennedy of the law firm of Pierce and Greer in New York, regarding the claims made. These documents also include copies of the text of legislation creating the Spanish Treaty Claims Commission and testimonies made by EFA and others to support his claims. Correspondents include Richard Olney, George F. Hoar, Alvin A. Adee, and John H. Gillett.

The Trinidad Sugar Co. began as a private venture of EFA with H. Oscar Havemeyer and Charles Senff. E. Atkins & Co. gained full control of the Trinidad estate around 1912. Letters in this subseries regard the general business of the Trinidad Sugar Co., including the construction of a railroad on the estate, reports the board of directors, and the acquisition of neighboring estates. Correspondents include estate managers Harry Garnet and W. G. Pullum, H. Oscar and Horace Havemeyer, Charles Senff, and E. J. Franke.

Incoming correspondence is arranged into two categories: "General" contains letters relating to the general business of the Trinidad estate, including letters from members of the Trinidad Sugar Co.'s board of directors; and "Cuba" contains letters from correspondents in Cuba regarding the management and operation of the estate.

These boxes contain receipts and invoices for purchases made for the Trinidad estate. The purchases were primarily of machinery and equipment.

While Soledad's business was operated through E. Atkins & Co., the estate was EFA's personal interest. EFA kept separate letterbooks of private correspondence with Soledad managers, some of which make up this series. The letters in these letterbooks are copies of outgoing correspondence written by EFA to J. S. Murray and L. F. Hughes, managers of the Soledad estate. They relate to the general business of Soledad, including machinery, the estate railroad, supplies, shipments, sugar crops, the weather, and labor. The letters also document the business dealings in which EFA was involved in order to purchase or lease the properties neighboring Soledad for sugar production or for right-of-way for the railroad. Some letters discuss political and economic conditions in Cuba and the garden at Soledad. Letters to L. F. Hughes were authored not only by EFA but also by RWA.

These unbound letterbooks contain letters written by J. S. Murray from Soledad to EFA in Boston in relation to the general operations of Soledad. Some letters were written by P.M. Beal in Murray's absence to report conditions at the estate.

L. F. Hughes wrote the letters in these unbound letterbooks to EFA and RWA regarding the general operations of Soledad. In his absence, Walter H. Armsby authored several of the letters.

These boxes contain receipts and invoices for purchases made for the Soledad estate. The purchases were primarily of machinery and equipment.

This account book was kept at the Soledad and records business transactions at the estate.