The Jeptha J. Carrell papers are divided into six subgroups: I. Oberlin Retirement Community (Kendal at Oberlin), II. Oberlin Community Improvement Corporation (O.C.I.C.), III. Cable Television, IV. Cleveland Small Business Incubator Study (CSBI), V. Ohio Historical Improvement Organization, and VI. Writings and Talks.  Included are agendas, clippings, correspondence, minutes, notes, notebooks, reports, books, and financial, legal, and planning documents.

As the subgroup titles reveal, the Jeptha J. Carrell papers comprise records of his involvement with certain local organizations and projects.  This collection, therefore, offers almost very little on his personal life, with the exception of his unpublished manuscript, King One: Service in the United State Marine Corps in World War II, found in VI. Writings and Talks, Series 1.

Subgroup I. Oberlin Retirement Community (Kendal at Oberlin), 1985-1994 (1.4 l.f.)

The records of the Oberlin Retirement Community constitute half of the entire collection.  The subgroup is arranged in five series: 1. Agendas, Minutes, and Related Materials, 2. Correspondence, 3. Project Files (Pre-Corporate and Corporate), 4. Admission and Recruitment Files, and 5. Miscellaneous Files.  A fairly complete picture of the planning process of Kendal at Oberlin can be gleaned from this documentation.

Subgroup II. Oberlin Community Improvement Corporation (O.C.I.C.), 1966-1993 (0.8 l.f.)

The O.C.I.C. subgroup is organized in 12 series: 1. Agendas and Minutes, 2. Annual Reports/Audit Reports, 3. Agreements and Covenants, 4. Correspondence Files, 5. Committee Files, 6. Notebooks, 7. Planning Document Files, 8. Policy and Procedures File, 9. Printed Material, 10. Project Files, 11. Special Events File, and 12. Subject File.  The agendas and minutes date from 1985 and 1992 only, providing inconsistent coverage of O.C.I.C. meetings.  As a whole, the subgroup documents specific initiatives of the O.C.I.C. and their outcomes.  While some legal papers from the 1960s are included in series 3, the bulk of the subgroup dates from 1985 to 1993.

Subgroup III. Cable Television, 1963-1994 (0.2 l.f.)

This subgroup is divided into two series: 1. Oberlin Cable Cooperative, and 2. Cable TV in Lorain County, OH.  The first series includes some “historical,” or planning-stage information about the Oberlin Cable Co-op.  Although Jeptha Carrell never served on any cable committees or boards, his idea for a cable co-op in Oberlin began the planning process in 1980.  Oberlin voters approved the measure in 1983, planning and bidding continued through 1987, and installation occurred in 1988.  Financial reports and summaries, and meeting minutes from the early 1990s are also included in series 1.  This subgroup also includes information about efforts to improve cable television service and programming in Lorain County, Ohio.

Subgroup IV. Cleveland Small Business Incubator Study (CSBI), 1984-1990 (0.4 l.f.)

This subgroup has three series—1. Consultant's File, 2. Notebook, and 3. Resource Files Used in CSBI Study—and they document Carrell's work as a consultant for The Cleveland Foundation.  Included are correspondence, a study plan, drafts and the final copy of Carrell's report, notes, and background information.

Subgroup V. Ohio Historical Improvement Organization, 1991-97  (1.2 I.f.)

Carrell was quite involved in the Ohio Historical Improvement Society (O.H.I.O.) and this subgroup contains the records of O.H.I.O. Included are the constitution and by-laws, board meeting and minutes, and more. Box 2 contains 18 folders on the Community Center. Other various materials, from fundraising to strategic plans to finances, can be found in the third box.

Subgroup VI. Writings and Talks, 1981, 1994, 2001, 2003 (0.3 l.f.)

This subgroup has three series: 1. Writings by Jeptha Carrell, 2. Talks by Jeptha Carrell and 3. Writings by Others (book). Series 1. includes several of Carrell’s professional writings, including several articles on city management and municipal administration. It also includes a work he published for his family concerning his service in WWII, King One. The second series features a copy of his remarks that he made at the opening of the new Nord Family Foundation Headquarters on June 19, 2003. The third series contains We Few: The Marine Corps 400 in the War Against Japan, a book that mentions Carrell.

Subgroup VII. Biographical Files, 1995, 2005, 2008 (late accretion) (0.06 l.f.)

The biographical materials were recieved as a late accretion and placed at the end of the collection. The series consists of clippings and memorial service materials (i.e., eulogy and adio CD of the memorial service).