A cornerstone of genealogy for the two states, it gives partial genealogies of the settlers–not, as the title would suggest, simply genealogical notes. Many of the genealogies concern Massachusetts families, although the majority concern Connecticut. The entry for each settler gives data such as place of residence, name and parentage of wife, and dates of death, followed by a line of descent almost always to the third generation, and often to the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh. The main families covered are Blakeman, Case, Chester, Clark, Dwight, Edwards, Goodrich, Gurley, Hollister, Hopkins, Ingersoll, Jones, Judson, Kent, Lord, Mather, Metcalf, Mygatt, Nott, Porter, Sedgwick, Smith, Spencer, Stone, Storrs, Terry, Treat, Ward, Webster, Welles, Whiting, and Worthington.