The bulk of this series consists of letters of Charles Russell, including personal correspondence with his wife Persis (Hastings) Russell, especially during his absence on commercial, political, or legal business, and with his two sons, Charles Theodore Russell and Thomas Hastings Russell. Many of the sons' letters were written while tending the store in Princeton, Mass., studying at Harvard College, practicing law in Boston, and traveling to such places as Niagara Falls. Also included are deeds, legal executions, a docket book, and other papers dating from Charles Russell's tenure as justice of the peace in Worcester County. Among these documents are deeds of sale and leases of property in Princeton, Rutland, Littleton, Lancaster, Bolton, Gardner, and other western Massachusetts towns; writs of attachment for nonpayment of debts and warrants sworn out for theft, assault and battery, and drunkenness; and various apprenticeship and indenture agreements. Papers documenting Russell's political career as state representative and senator include letters written from Boston describing colleagues and business before the General Court, drafts of legislation and resolutions, and letters soliciting appointments. Following his appointment to the Boston Customs House, Russell wrote to his wife and described the work there and his specific duties.

This series also contains papers of members of the Hastings, Stevenson, and Mirick families of Princeton, Mass. The Hastings family material is principally concerned with the Princeton militia under the command of Capt. Samuel Hastings and Lt. Samuel Hastings and includes muster warrants, lists of men enrolled, and fines issued for nonattendance. Also included are scattered letters from Persis Hastings to family members. Stevenson family papers consist of correspondence of Samuel Stevenson and his two children, Samuel Gardner Stevenson and Sarah Russell Stevenson. Included are letters (1820s-1840s) between Samuel G. Stevenson and his uncle Charles Russell about Stevenson's business activities in New York City, Providence, New Bedford, and Louisville, Kentucky, as well as letters between Russell and Sarah (Stevenson) Gilbert after her marriage in 1832. Mirick family papers are primarily related to the business affairs of Ephraim Mirick on behalf of the Princeton firm of Mirick & Russell. Additional letters from Joseph Mirick of Camden, Me. describe conditions there.

This series contains business papers related to the firm of Mirick & Russell of Princeton, Mass. Included are thousands of receipts, orders, and inventories of goods listing wages, boarding and freight rates, and prices of silk, rum, flour, tobacco, nails, fish, livestock, and hundreds of other items.

This series consists of material related to the settlement of various estates in which Charles Russell was an interested party or executor; papers related to the town of Princeton, Mass; and school papers of Russell's son Charles Theodore Russell, primarily essays. Princeton material includes papers of the town branch of the Washington Benevolent Society, established in 1813; circulars, memoranda, and miscellaneous papers of the Princeton post office; and lists of voters, members of the town militia, assorted financial and tax records, and other town miscellany.

This series contains record volumes of Charles Russell, primarily financial. The bulk of the volumes pertain to the store in Princeton, Mass. and to Russell's tenure as postmaster of Princeton. Store records begin in 1785 under the proprietorship of Samuel Stevenson and continue, with omissions, until 1843. Included are daybooks, invoice books, ledgers, inventories, sales books, etc. Post office records consist of financial accounts filed with the General Post Office; accounts of mails, newspapers, and pamphlets sent and received; a minute book; and other volumes. The series also contains Princeton tax assessments (1796, 1800), a record of court cases (1824-1849), and memorandum books.