Kelsey, D. M. Our Pioneer Heroes and their Daring Deeds; The Lives and Famous Exploits of De Soto, Champlain, La Salle, Smith, Standish, Boone, Kenton, Brady, Crockett, Bowie, Houston, Carson, Harney, Custer, California Joe, Wild Bill, Buffalo Bill, Miles, Crook, and other Hero Explorers, Renowned Frontier Fighters, and Celebrated Early Settlers of America, from the Earliest Times to the Present. Philadelphia & Saint Louis: Scammell & Company, 1884. [8520]
Full sheep, lacks a spine title label, 9 inches, some worming at the bottom of the rear joint, binding scuffed, covers well-attached. "Profusely illustrated" with about 230 in-text and full-page wood engravings. Frontispiece partly loose; rear end paper hinge repaired; pages with foxing & smudging, darkest at the title page. 578 pp. Good. Full leather.
"Many are the books that give in interesting detail the adventures of a single or a few heroes, or of a restricted region of the American frontiers. But it has been the conception of this volume to present a broad view, embracing the more celebrated episodes of the life led by the most noted pioneer explorers, early settlers and brave soldiers who have won distinction in border warfare. It is surely a worthy task to gather, in a natural, chronological succession, records of these thrilling exploits, the recitals of which, oft repeated, have secured their heroes immortality.
"If it be objected that many of these worthies seemed to lack a sufficient respect for the sacredness of human life, their surroundings should be remembered. If they were apparently too ready with the knife or with the trigger, it was because their own lives were felt to be held cheaply by many about them who were unrestrained by law.
"At least we have glorified no gory outlaws, nor have we painted in alluring colors the road to the penitentiary or the scaffold." - Preface.
