The Memoirs of Lt. Henry Timberlake

Lt. Henry Timberlake’s Memoirs provide the most detailed account of Cherokee life in the eighteenth century. Timberlake visited the Cherokee Overhill towns for three months in 1761–62 and accompanied three Cherokee leaders to London to meet with King George III and other political figures. He died in September 1765, around the time the Memoirs were originally published.

This first modern edition of Timberlake’s Memoirs is abundantly illustrated with portraits, maps, and photographs of historical, archaeological, and reproduced artifacts, bringing a new dimension to Timberlake’s rich portrayal. Assembled for an exhibit produced by the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, this collection of period artifacts, artwork, and traditional items made by contemporary Cherokee artists is a stunning representation of the material culture — both native and British — of the French and Indian War period. A detailed introduction and extensive editorial notes help interpret this 250-year-old chronicle for the modern reader, drawing heavily from historical research and archaeological investigations of the last half-century while still including insights offered by Samuel Cole Williams in the original American version published in 1927.