Books with author William Thomas Hamilton

In his concise, richly detailed memoir My Sixty Years on the Plains fur-trapper W. T. Hamilton - also known as ‘Wildcat Bill’ - gives the reader a first-hand account of life outdoors in the Old West. From trailblazing to trading with Indians, Hamilton relates how a mountain man relied on his wits and specialized knowledge in order survive the inhospitable environments.

From inside the book:IN writing this book the author had only one end in view, that of relating in a simple way his experiences as a mountaineer. In these days, when such experiences are fast becoming a thing of the past, the story is of special interest.The mountaineers as a class were unique. Life itself had little value in their estimation. They were pushing, adventurous, and fearless men, who thought nothing of laying down their lives in the service of a friend, or often, it might be, only as a matter of humanity. Theirs was a brotherhood in which one man's life was entirely at the service of any of its members, regardless of friendship or even of acquaintanceship.Equipped with nothing but their skill and endurance, a few ponies, a gun or two, and provisions enough to last them for the day, they set out to make their way through a vast wilderness that held all the terrors of the unknown. They became self-reliant, and encountered obstacles only to overcome them with a dash and courage which amaze and delight us.Mr. William T. Hamilton is a living example of this type of men. He is now in his eightythird year, and is still in full possession of his acute intellect. He is a general favorite wherever he is known, and is familiarly styled "Uncle Bill." He spent his whole life, from the time he was twenty, on the plains, and is an authority on Indian life and customs. He was also acknowledged by all to be the greatest sign-talker on the plains, either Indian or white; and was able to converse with all tribes. All Indian tribes use the same signs, though speaking a different language.Sign-talking among Indians will soon be a lost art, for the present generation is not handing its knowledge down to its children. In 1882, while Mr. Hamilton was a witness in the Star Route trial in Washington, the Smithsonian Institution endeavored to photograph these signs, but with indifferent success.The author has been extremely modest in describing the Indian fights, stating only the simple facts. These simple facts accentuate the valor and intrepidity of the trappers, when brought to bay by hostile tribes.His story also gives, for the first time, an account of three years of the life of the great scout and mountaineer, Bill Williams, one of the prominent figures in the early history of the plains.To the efforts of these heroes we owe the great advances civilization has made in the West. They reclaimed this vast and valuable territory from the outlaws and the Indians. They "blazed the trail" that was to lead the frontiersman to valuable deposits and rich agricultural regions. They set an example for courage and perseverance which will keep their memory always bright in the hearts of true Americans.

In his concise, richly detailed memoir My Sixty Years on the Plains fur-trapper W. T. Hamilton - also known as ‘Wildcat Bill’ - gives the reader a first-hand account of life outdoors in the Old West. From trailblazing to trading with Indians, Hamilton relates how a mountain man relied on his wits and specialized knowledge in order to survive the inhospitable environments.

The mountaineers as a class were unique.They were pushing, adventurous, and fearless men, who thought nothing of laying down their lives in the service of a friend, or often, it might be, only as a matter of humanity.Equipped with nothing but their skill and endurance, a few ponies, a gun or two, and provisions enough to last them for the day, they set out to make their way through a vast wilderness that held all the terrors of the unknown.William T. Hamilton was a classic example of this type of man.He spent his whole life, from the time he was twenty through to his last years, on the plains, and was an authority on Indian life and customs. My Sixty Years on the Plains: Trapping, Trading, and Indian Fighting is the classic memoir from a frontiersman that gives valuable insight into life in the far west among outlaws, Native Americans, hunters and trappers.“In the death of "Uncle Billy" Hamilton the United States loses its greatest Indian fighter and most skillful Indian sign talker and sign reader that this country ever produced.” Butte Daily PostWilliam Thomas Hamilton, also known as Wildcat Bill, was an English-born American frontiersman and author. His book, My Sixty Years on the Plains: Trapping, Trading, and Indian Fighting was first published in 1905 and he passed away in 1908.

“Delightful!” —The New York Times Book Review Discover a world of beauty and creativity! Chanticleer has been called the most romantic, imaginative, and exciting public garden in America. It is a place of pleasure and learning, relaxing yet filled with ideas to take home. And now those lessons are available for everyone in this stunning book! You’ll learn techniques specific to different conditions and plant palettes; how to use hardscape materials in a fresh way; and how to achieve the perfect union between plant and site. And Rob Cardillo’s exquisite photographs of exciting combinations will be sure to stimulate your own creativity. Whether you’re already under Chanticleer’s spell or have yet to visit, The Art of Gardening will enable you to bring the special magic that pervades this most artful of gardens into your own home landscape.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

In his concise, richly detailed memoir My Sixty Years on the Plains fur-trapper W. T. Hamilton - also known as 'Wildcat Bill' - gives the reader a first-hand account of life outdoors in the Old West. From trailblazing to trading with Indians, Hamilton relates how a mountain man relied on his wits and specialized knowledge in order survive the inhospitable environments.

“Delightful!” —The New York Times Book Review Discover a world of beauty and creativity! Chanticleer has been called the most romantic, imaginative, and exciting public garden in America. It is a place of pleasure and learning, relaxing yet filled with ideas to take home. And now those lessons are available for everyone in this stunning book! You’ll learn techniques specific to different conditions and plant palettes; how to use hardscape materials in a fresh way; and how to achieve the perfect union between plant and site. And Rob Cardillo’s exquisite photographs of exciting combinations will be sure to stimulate your own creativity. Whether you’re already under Chanticleer’s spell or have yet to visit, The Art of Gardening will enable you to bring the special magic that pervades this most artful of gardens into your own home landscape.

Long before the American Revolution, fur trappers were traveling thousands of miles into the remote wilderness in their quest for beaver pelts, the frontier's most valuable commodity. These hardened, unsettled men were at the forefront of the Western expansion, hunting amid the Central Rockies by the 1830s and occasionally wandering all the way to the shores of the Pacific. Their lives and accomplishments are vividly and authentically recaptured in this gritty autobiography of a longtime adventurer. William Thomas Hamilton (1822–1908) left St. Louis at the age of 20 to serve as an apprentice to an experienced trapper and hunter. Within a decade of his entry into the trade, the demand for pelts plummeted as hat fashions shifted from beaver to silk. Hamilton and his fellow trappers turned instead to leading hunting parties, guiding scientific expeditions, serving as army scouts, and protecting settlers and miners from Indian attacks. In this memoir, the frontiersman presents a fascinating account of his rough-and-tumble life in the Old West. Eight full-page illustrations by the former cowboy and great Western artist Charles Russell enhance the tale.

In his concise, richly detailed memoir My Sixty Years on the Plains fur-trapper W. T. Hamilton - also known as ‘Wildcat Bill’ - gives the reader a first-hand account of life outdoors in the Old West. From trailblazing to trading with Indians, Hamilton relates how a mountain man relied on his wits and specialized knowledge in order to survive the inhospitable environments.