Here is a categorized list of diaries and journals from individuals connected to the Trail of Tears. Each entry notes the individual’s role, the type of document, the timeframe of writing, a brief summary, and access information.
- Role: Leader of an emigration detachment
- Type: Journal
- Timeframe: Written during the removal period (October–December 1837)
- Summary: Cannon provides insights into the overland journey of Cherokee detachments, highlighting the challenges faced.
- Access: https://www.researchonline.net/removal/firsthand13.htm
- Role: Attending physician for the Taylor detachment
- Type: Diary
- Timeframe: Written during the removal period (February–April 1839) Specifically his time spent in Washington, Crawford and Phelps counties in Missouri.
- Summary: Dr. Morrow’s diary offers a detailed account of the journey with the Taylor detachment, documenting daily events, health conditions, and the challenges faced by the Cherokee, Seneca, Osage, and Shawnee people during their forced migration.
Access: https://trailoftears.steelvillehistoricalsociety.com/reading/dr-william-i-i-morrows-diary/
More of the diary here; https://digital.shsmo.org/digital/collection/frontier/id/3264/rec/1
- Peter Pitchlynn (Choctaw Nation)
- Role: Future Principal Chief of the Choctaw Nation
- Type: Diary
- Timeframe: Written during the removal period (1828–1830s)
- Summary: Pitchlynn’s diary provides a firsthand account of the Choctaw removal, detailing the surveying of Indian Territory and the challenges faced during relocation.
- Access: A Man Between Nations: The Choctaw Removal Diary of Peter Pitchlynn
- Role: Choctaw Chief
- Type: Open letter
- Timeframe: Written in 1832, during the removal period
- Summary: In his “Farewell Letter to the American People,” Harkins denounces the forced removal of the Choctaw people, expressing sorrow and resistance.
- Role: Soldier involved in Cherokee removal
- Type: Memoir
- Timeframe: Written in 1890, reflecting on events from 1838–1839
- Summary: Burnett recounts the hardships faced by the Cherokee during their forced relocation, offering a personal perspective on the events.
- Access: A Soldier Recalls the Trail of Tears
- Role: Officer overseeing Cherokee removal
- Type: Journal
- Timeframe: Written during the removal period (April–June 1838)
- Summary: Deas’s journal details the logistics and experiences of escorting Cherokee groups westward.
- Access: 2 articles
(April-May 1838) https://www.researchonline.net/removal/firsthand14.htm
(June 1838) https://www.researchonline.net/removal/firsthand15.htm
- Role: Child participant in the removal
- Type: Recollection
- Timeframe: Reminiscences recorded later in life
- Summary: Bushyhead shares her memories of the Trail of Tears, providing a child’s perspective on the ordeal.
- Access: https://www.researchonline.net/removal/firsthand6.htm
- Role: Child during the removal
- Type: Oral history recounted by granddaughter Mary Hill in 1937
- Timeframe: Recollection of events from 1834–1837
- Summary: Farney’s experiences, as conveyed by her granddaughter, highlight the personal losses and hardships endured during the Muscogee removal.
- Access: Sallie Farney
These firsthand accounts offer valuable perspectives on the experiences of individuals during the Trail of Tears, encompassing leadership decisions, adult responsibilities, and childhood amidst adversity.