Rare Book Monthly
Book Catalogue Reviews - July - 2008 Issue
Adventures from the American West from Old West Books
Army scout Frank Grouard, courtesy of Wyoming Tales and Trails.
Item 92 is a rare book from an obscure preacher-cowboy who roamed the Badlands, Montana and Wyoming: Stories and Sermons by Buckskin Brady the Cowboy Evangelist. Brady moved as a lad from his home in New York to the Badlands, where he quickly learned to herd cattle. He was, perhaps, a typical cowboy, except he read the Bible more than most. A lot more. So, in this biography you will be sermonized along with hearing of his adventures on cattle drives, a risky business in the 19th century. His book was published in Toronto in 1905. $1,250.
"Old Bill Williams" is another name not familiar to most people any more, though citizens of Williams, Arizona, still know his name. "Old Bill" was the quintessential mountain man, traversing the Rocky Mountain West alone, trapping beaver. He also spent time living with the Indians and learned several native languages. Williams started out as a preacher in Missouri, but headed off to the solitude of the West. He worked as a guide on the Sibley survey of the Santa Fe Trail in 1825 and two of John Fremont's expeditions in the 1840s. The latter of those expeditions was a disaster, many men dying when an attempt was made to cross the mountains in winter. Fremont blamed Williams for the 1848 catastrophe, but others believe the cause was Fremont's ignoring Old Bill's advice. William Sherley Williams died the following year, reportedly killed by Ute Indians, though he was friendly with them, while retracing the previous year's tragic route. Alpheus Favour recounts his life in Old Bill Williams, Mountain Man, published in 1936. Item 247. $135.
Item 212 has been described as "the rarest book about Buffalo Bill." Published in 1887, and written by Llewellyn Williams, the title is Buffalo Bill The Hon. William F. Cody Rifle and Revolver Shot, Pony Express Rider, Teamster, Buffalo Hunter Guide and Scout. Buffalo Bill was all of these, but even more he was a showman. After a few years of these western activities, he retired from the business to form his Wild West Show, where for most of his life, he portrayed an exaggerated version of the Old West to eager audiences in the East and Europe. Much of our cowboys and Indians image of the West can be attributed to the West Bill created. $1,295.
Old West Books may be reached at 817-557-4830 or oldwestbooks@earthlink.net. The website is www.oldwestbooks.com.
