Research Guide
Pioneer-Era Journals
Overview
Much of what is known about the overland trail is because of journals and diaries kept by pioneers. Journals, diaries, autobiographies, and reminiscences are sources that are essential to understanding and reconstructing the past. Such records provide insight to a person’s individual thoughts, feelings, choices, experiences, and behaviors. For descendants, journals and diaries allow current generations to connect with their ancestral past. Even if an ancestor did not keep a journal, descendants can deepen their understanding of family history by reading journals kept by members of the same wagon train or company.
At the Church History Library, pioneer journals and diaries provide a foundation for numerous research projects. Rich information can be gathered from pioneer-era journals. Some have been transcribed and published. Others have been digitized and are available to view in the catalog. Many more are available for viewing in person at the Church History Library. This research guide identifies digitized journals and collections, but similar methods can be employed for finding related items that have not been digitized.
The Church History Library is not the only repository that holds Latter-day Saint pioneer-era journals. Brigham Young University, Utah State University, the University of Utah, Weber State University, the Huntington Library, the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, and other institutions have collections of pioneer journals, many of which extend beyond the Latter-day Saint pioneer experience. This research guide will provide advice on how to search for pioneer journals and includes a sample list of institutions where journals can be found. Links to digital collections will be provided for Church-sponsored and non-Church-sponsored websites. The Church does not endorse the content of non-Church-sponsored websites.
Research Guidance
The glossary provided here is not specific to the Church History Catalog. These suggestions can be applied to broader searches as well. This advice may be applicable to searching for missionary journals too.
Glossary of Material Types
In order to effectively search for Latter-day Saint pioneer materials, it is important to understand some of the vocabulary that may be encountered during research. This glossary will provide a brief definition or explanation for some of the more common words and phrases.- Diary and journal—These two words are often used interchangeably; however, there are some important distinctions. Diaries generally provide a record of personal and daily experiences. Journals are more general and may not include personal information. Individual institutions may have their own way of determining if something qualifies as a journal or diary. The most important element of both is that they are created “in the moment.” Typically, very little time has passed between record creation and events being documented. For the purpose of pioneer-related materials, “journal” and “diary” are considered synonymous.
- Autobiography—An autobiography is a chronological account of a person’s life compiled and written by that person. Because an autobiography is about the person who wrote the manuscript, the narrative is usually in the first person. Autobiographies may be written at any point in an individual’s lifetime. Unlike a journal or diary, autobiographies are not a daily record or log of a person’s experiences. As such, journals and diaries may or may not be consulted when writing an autobiography.
- Biography—A biography is an account of a person’s life written by another person. Biographies are not firsthand accounts and are not written in first-person narrative. Instead, the narrative is often written in the third person. Biographies may be chronological or thematic. A well-written biography relies on primary sources to construct the narrative.
- Reminiscences—These are probably the most common form of pioneer record. A reminiscence is a story about, or an account of, the past told by an individual who experienced the recounted events. Reminiscence relies on memory. As such, problems may arise with the accuracy of the retold events. When using reminiscences, it is best practice to vet the stories by comparing them to additional primary sources created during the time of the remembered events or moments that occurred in the person’s life.
- Memoir—This genre of writing fits somewhere between autobiography and reminiscence. Like an autobiography, it is written by the person the story is about. Similar to a reminiscence, memoirs rely on memory and reflection. The difference is that a memoir intentionally focuses on establishing an emotional connection with the reader rather than just presenting facts. Memoirs include biographical or chronological information only when relevant to the story. Judicial selection of meaningful or relevant information is employed to heighten the emotional aspects of the narrative.
- Life sketch—Life sketches are another popular type of pioneer record. They can be autobiographical or biographical. By intention, a life sketch is a short overview or summary of a person’s life experiences. The length does not usually exceed more than a few pages. Some may be as short as a few paragraphs.
- Transcript—A transcript is a copy (usually typed) of a written record. Some pioneer journals have been transcribed by professional transcriptionists, though most are transcribed by descendants of the person who first created the record. It is often easier to read a transcript than the original handwriting, but transcripts may also contain errors. It is best practice, when possible, to compare a transcript against the original document.
Searching for Items
There are a handful of things to keep in mind while searching for pioneer-era journals and related materials:- Whether completed online or in a reading room, effective research takes time.
- Traditional naming conventions and spelling rules do not apply. In the 19th century, spelling was not standardized. This also applies to name spellings. The examples of people spelling their names differently during their own lifetime are innumerable. For instance, Wilford Woodruff often spelled his first name “Willford.” When doing research, keep in mind that “Great-Grandma Dorothy” may have spelled her name “Dorothy,” “Dorthy,” “Dorathea,” “Dorthee,” or several other ways. Also, she may have gone by a nickname. Common 19th-century nicknames for “Dorothy” include “Dotty” and “Dolly.” It is also important to note that some people’s given names were common nicknames. For example, “Polly” and “Molly” were common nicknames for women named “Mary.” However, not every woman named “Mary” went by “Polly,” and not every “Polly” was really named “Mary.” Polly Peck Knight, for instance, was not actually named “Mary.” Her given name was “Polly.” When searching, try using multiple spellings and variations of names. Doing so may yield additional results.
- Not everything is digitized. Unfortunately, libraries and archives cannot make all of their holdings digitally available. Most repositories have online catalogs and finding aids that provide information about their collections. If an item is not available online, the researcher may be required to go to the institution to see the item.
- Not all materials have been transcribed. Transcriptions take time to complete. Most libraries and archives do not create transcriptions of journals and diaries.
- Do not be afraid to ask for help. Most libraries and archives offer some sort of online reference assistance. On Church History Library websites, look for the “
Ask Us ” button, click on it, and fill out the form. Submissions are reviewed daily by the Consultation Team and are usually responded to within 48 hours.
Key Words and Search Terms
The following is a list of key words and search terms to use when conducting research. This list is not comprehensive:pioneer, journal, diary, reminiscence, life sketch, Latter-day Saint, Mormon, overland trail, overland travel, trek, emigration, immigration, westward migration, company journal
Selected Digital Collections
This section highlights a few locations where digitized pioneer journals and related materials can be located. This is only a sample list and does not represent every institution, library, or archive that houses Latter-day Saint pioneer-related materials. Suggestions on how to find accessible online materials for each institution are provided in the description. Links to selected journal or diary collections housed at each institution have also been included. Some links redirect to websites not sponsored by the Church, and the Church does not endorse the content.
Church History Library
The easiest way to find pioneer journals at the Church History Library is by searching the catalog. The catalog can be searched by name or topic. If you do not have the name of a specific pioneer in mind, simply search the word “pioneer.” On the results page, select the filter for “Journals” (filters appear on the left side of the screen). Search results can be narrowed further by selecting additional filters. Selecting “Digital” will result in a list of items available for viewing online.These are some noteworthy pioneer journal and diary collections at the Church History Library that have been digitized and are available to view online:
Another tool offered by the Church History Library is the
FamilySearch
Many transcriptions and life sketches can be found in the “Memories” on the profiles of individual pioneers. Others can be found in the
L. Tom Perry Special Collections
Among theUtah State University, Special Collections and Archives
Among the digitized items at the USU Special Collections and Archives is theThe Special Collections and Archives houses additional collections and items that have not been digitized. Click
Mountain West Digital Library and J. Willard Marriott Library
To access the digital items in the
Beyond what is available on the Mountain West Digital Library, the University of Utah houses additional collections and items. Some are available digitally, and others are not. Additional online material from the J. Willard Marriott Library can be searched for on their
The Huntington Library and the Library of Congress
Not all Latter-day Saint pioneer journals are housed at institutions in Utah. For instance, theAmong the many holdings at the Huntington Library is the