The historian will do justice to the memories of the fallen. —John Adair Bell

The Bell Route of the Trail of Tears passed through what is now the greater campus of Sewanee—The University of the South. This digital archive is a project developed in Sewanee classrooms to better understand our local history of Cherokee Removal. This collaboration between faculty, students, and the community supports Sewanee’s Indigenous Engagement Initiative.

Voucher for Benjamin Ragsdale (17 coffins)

Title: Voucher for Benjamin Ragsdale (17 coffins)
Transcription: “The United States to Benjamin Ragsdale…For furnishing materials & making 17 coffins for the dead of a Party of Cherokees, on the Route of Emigration, at sundry times from the 11th Oct. to the 1st Dec. (as shown by the Muster Roll) and for assisting in Digging graves & burying the dead, at $3 –for each coffin[.] The other services included—$ 51.00”
Items: 17 coffins, services
Amount Paid: 51.00

Part of Voucher for Benjamin Ragsdale (17 coffins)

“Voucher for Benjamin Ragsdale (17 coffins)”, Retracing the Bell Route: An Archive of Cherokee Removal, accessed October 22, 2026, https://cherokee-bell-route.org/s/Cherokee_Bell-Route/item/95