 |
| 1. Eliza Bryan's
Journal |
It's not known that such a
journal exists or ever existed. But Bryan is the #1 Primary Eyewiteness for 1811-12. Her letter to Dow in 1816 contains a high level of detail,
suggesting it was written from notes rather than from memory as she states. |
| 2. Godfrey Le Sieur's
Map |
The map of the
Bootheel/sunklands region prepared by Le Sieur for Sen. Lewis Linn for his report to the
Committee on Commerce, 1 Feb 1836. This is probably the only map that could
authoritatively show the St. Francis-Little River drainage basins prior to 1811. |
| 3. Matthias Speed's
Original Account |
Speed's account is by far the
most valuable for F1, but it is marred by a confusing, contradictory description of the
location of the first waterfall/rapids he encountered after passing Island no. 10. The
original report in the Bardstown Repository needs examining to see if
"island" was used in place of "town", which would clear everything up.
Problem: no exising copies of the Bardstown Repository are known. |
| 4. Le Sieur's Memoires |
Probably not available in this
country. Le Sieur ascended the Mississippi River in 1700. His memoir consists of "100
closely written pages" of observations from the journey. Delanglez (1943) calls it
"the first scientific survey" of the river. It is probably in the French
archives in Paris. It is unknown whether it's ever been transcribed, much less translated. |
| 5. Fort Pickering Log
Book |
Another of the Ten Most Wanted
for which its existence is in doubt. In 1811 the fort was still an active Indian trading
post under factor Robert Bayly, but is is unclear if it was still an active post of the
U.S. Army. It's also unclear if a search of the U.S. Archives for the log book has ever
been made--or for that matter, if a fort log was ever kept at all. |
| 6. Carolina Indians |
A detailed account of the
earthquakes of 1811-12 from the Carolina Indians. The ~20-page account is possibly from
the North Carolina State Archives. Chris Powell (at CERI) was given a copy by a friend but
it was misplaced in the move to Memphis. The "Carolina Indians" are probably the
Appalachian Cherokees. Potentially the best source to document any landsliding that may
have occurred in the Appalachians. |
| 7. J.C. Harris'
Eyewitnesses |
Harris was the man who in the
late 1800's developed the plan--and came close to executing it--to drain Reelfoot Lake.
Spears (1910) in Americana tells us Harris wrote "from memory accounts by
residents of their experiences in the tumultuous earthquake day of 1811-12." Winfred
Smith at UT Martin has tried to locate this manuscript--without success. One problem with
this comes to mind: the Reelfoot Lake region was not settled in 1811-12. |
| 8. New Madrid DARs |
Reference from Penick (1981):
"New Madrid Earthquakes, 1811-12, Compiled from the New Madrid Archive in New
Madrid County Courthouse by DAR, Lucy Jefferson Lewis Chapter, Manuscript in Missouri
Historical Society Libary, St. Louis. |
| 9. Roosevelt's Report
to Fulton |
Nicholas Roosevelt built the
first steamboat on the Ohio-MIssissippi and took it from Pittsburgh to New Orleans in late
1811. Prior to that he made a reconnaissance voyage in a flatboat in 1809 for his sponsor,
Robert Fulton. His report to Fulton was a detailed account on the navigability of the
rivers, one that Ambler (1932) calls "an exhaustive and impressive report." The
Compendium should have it. Possibly it's with Fulton's papers? |
| 10. (tie) Rozier's
Sunkland Map |
Accompanied Senator Rozier's
report to the Southwest Convention of 1845 held in Memphis. Almost certainly not the same
LeSieur map as Most Wanted #2. |
| 10. (tie) Indian Agent
Graham's Papers |
In the Missouri Historical
Soceity, St. Louis. Graham was based in New Madrid/Pt. Pleasant area. Papers contain among
other things, letters describing the earthquake damage to the region and the debris-choked
St. Francis River. |
