Old West Books has released a new catalogue of rare, out of print books on the American West: Catalog 70 October 25. Proprietor Tim Phelps usually begins with a comment about what's going on at home: “Not much going on here now since the hay is in the barn and mowing is almost over, especially since the lack of rain has caused the grass to slow down.” Talk about living your vocation! This could have been written in the 19th century. It's the Old West as it really was, not exaggerated gunslingers, sheriffs and all. It was lots of farmers and regular people trying to get by. Got to get the hay in the barn before the fields are two-feet deep in snow and the horses and cattle can no longer forage. Brings back memories, even if you never lived them. Here are a few selections from this catalogue of the Old West.
Here is a book about Missouri in the 18th century, but this is from the earliest part of that century. The first settlers were barely arriving. Henry Schoolcraft and a companion toured the area from November 6, 1818, to February 9, 1819. Schoolcraft was a noted anthropologist of the era. His account is Journal of a Tour Into The Interior Of Missouri And Arkansas. They headed southwest and traveled 900 miles before returning. The settlers they encountered were just building their homes and planting crops. He ends his account with a poem, "Trans-Alleghania, or the Groans of Missouri." Life wasn't easy but they persevered. Published in 1821. Item 66. $595.
Next, California in its earliest days gets it's due. This is pre-Gold Rush California. What was going on then? In this case, it was a cattle drive, more like what you would expect from Texas. The book is California in 1837. Diary of Col. Philip L. Edwards. Containing an Account of a Trip to the Pacific Coast, published in 1890. This recounts what apparently was the first cattle drive from California, with the destination being Oregon. They were bringing the cattle to a missionary establishment. There was not a lot in Oregon either in those very early days. This book also talks about the fur trade and life in San Francisco. Item 30. $4,500.
Here is a book by a ranch man, but he was hardly typical of that craft. Everything was over-the-top with him, but that was his life. Add to that he was from New York, became a military hero, and in another few years would be the President of the United States. Not the typical ranch man, but Theodore Roosevelt wasn't the typical anything. In his earlier years he had a ranch in the Badlands of North Dakota. Might as well pick as difficult a place as you can to survive. He wrote several books in the 1880s about ranching and big game hunting in the West. This one is Ranch Life and the Hunting Trail. It includes illustrations by Frederick Remington, noted as one of the greatest illustrators of the American West. Published in 1821. Item 63. Priced at $1,250.
This is another man known for his connection to the Old West, except he was a writer, one of the best. This is one of many books about the West by Ramon Adams, The Old Time Cowhand, published in 1961. He knew many of them as a young man in Texas. This is who the cowhand really was, as Adams said, “His cow-punching, bronco busting, trail driving; his rodeo riding, poker playing, socializing; his horse, guns, rope, clothing, sleeping bag, his eating and drinking habits; his attitude toward god, women, bosses; his unwritten code of conduct told in rich and varied lingo of the range.” This is a limited edition, signed by Adams. Published in 1961. Item 1. $125.
D.J. Cook was a lawman in 19th century Colorado with an impressive resume. He was a soldier, Denver City Marshall, Arapahoe County Sheriff, Police Chief, U.S. Marshall, Major General of the Colorado Militia, and founder of the Rocky Mountain Detective Association. Cook was born in Indiana, reaching Colorado via stops in Iowa and Kansas. He came to Colorado in the 1859 Gold Rush. He and his brother planned to be miners but it turned out differently. His book is Hands Up: or, Thirty-five Years of Detective Life in the Mountains and On the Plains, Reminiscences by General D. J. Cook, Chief of the Rocky Mountain Detective Association. A Condensed Criminal History of the Far West, published in 1882. He describes some of the undesirables he encountered along the way. It contains, "Many tales of murder, robbery, and mayhem, all illustrated with primitive woodcuts. The numerous plates show all sorts of Western violence, including robberies, murders, arrests, hangings and more." The was Old West at its "finest."
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