This collection is comprised mostly of correspondence. The first series consists of Josiah L. Parrish's correspondence, documents, and records. These records and letters cover several topics, including biographical and family information, information regarding business affairs and history. The biographical information deals with Josiah L. Parrish's family. There is limited information regarding his children from his first wife, Elizabeth Winn Parrish, his second wife Jennie Litchenthaler Parrish, and their daughters (Josie and Grace), and his third wife Mattie A. Pierce and her son LaRonda Pierce.

Parrish, being important in the history of Oregon, has a great deal of historical information in his collection. Also included in the history section is a copy of the general instructions to missionaries. Included in the business affairs materials are correspondences and records related to prospecting, agriculture, and real estate, as well as personal business records. Parrish's papers also include three oversized documents - one making him a member of the New York State Militia, one making him an Indian Agent, and one signed by President Andrew Johnson granting him land in Oregon.

The second series contains Mattie A. Parrish's papers, mostly letters. The biographical and family information contains correspondence between Mattie and her relatives - including her husband and his children, as well as her own child LaRonda.

The business affairs material is divided into financial records, legal records, and solicitations. The financial records cover banking, loans, notes, groceries, dry goods, livestock, clothiers, hardware, insurance, furniture, appliances and lumber.

The legal documents consist of letters from lawyers, court cases, and deeds. The collection also contains several clippings. These clippings cover multiple women's rights, socialism, the history of Oregon and its first Methodist pioneers, articles on Oregon and its politics, obituaries of relatives and neighbors, birthday announcements, Arbor Day, editorials, Helen Keller and the blind, and labor disputes.

Administration holds a variety of committee meeting minutes. Campus ministry documents the National Division's campus ministry program. Conference contacts holds regular correspondence between the Division and their counterparts at the conference or jurisdictional level; the material is organized by conference, jurisdiction or by state. Crusade scholars holds records of applications and correspondence with successful scholars. Department of Architecture documents several building programs and building plans used by the Division. The Division's participation in the denomination-wide ethnic minority local church emphasis is documented in this series. Issues remaining after the merger of the Evangelical United Brethren Church and the Methodists are held in the EUB series. Various special programs of the Division which focus on several urban issues are documented in the Institutional Ministries, Metropolitan Urban Service Training, Office of Urban Ministries and Parish Ministries series. Legal files deal with financial issues, bequests and gifts to the Division. Reports holds various statements and reports issued by the Division, while Research and Surveys most hold research conducted for local churches or annual conferences and relate to church growth issues. Town and country ministries are documented in this series. The Division's work with schools and children's homes are documented in the Youth Serving Ministries. The Subject files contain regular correspondence and reports about the various programs of the Division.