The Jessup-Carson-Littler Family papers consist of correspondence, legal papers, notebooks, autograph books, ledgers, and genealogical material on five generations of Quakers in Howard and Marion counties, Indiana. The collection reflects Quaker farm and religious life in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

The collection consists of a diary written by Nathanial Carter. Carter regularly reflects on his progress in religious life and reports on what happened in his meeting. He also is a typical farmer, giving close attention to the weather and the markets for crops. Finally, he chronicles his community, recording events in the lives of family and neighbors, especially births, deaths, and marriages. The Carter diary was a gift from the Rev. Floyd L. Cook of Indianapolis some time before 1975.