The Frontiersmen: A Narrative

The Frontiersmen is incredibly immersive, often reading like a novel bringing to life the old frontier of Ohio and Kentucky from about 1774 to 1810, the bloody period when it was settled by Americans and the Indians were pushed west (or dead). Despite it's strong narrative it's also a history and reliable for the most part. Published in 1967, Allan W. Eckert used creative non-fiction techniques before the style was respectable and so he has taken some flak for accuracy, and indeed there are some significant goofs - for example Blue Jacket was probably not white. Even if a few tales may be frontier legend they are archetypal and thus still of value. If not Blue Jacket there were other whites who went 'native'.

As an avid outdoor show more adventure/history reader it's embarrassing how much I know about, say, Antarctica, yet so little about the history of the land I live in and around so this book is a reminder one doesn't need travel far to find great adventure. show less

These intertwined biographies of Simon Kenton, William Henry Harrison, and Tecumseh are very informative and a swiftly moving read. We have three paradigms here:, the Romantic Frontiersman, Kenton; the Valiant Indian, Tecumseh,; and the Manipulative politician : William Henry Harrison. Eckert would later write a longer biography of Tecumseh, the most attractive of the trio.
But if more people had read this chapter in Eckert's history of the Old Northwest, perhaps there might be a reduction in the amount of trouble caused by the modern attempts to substitute myth for understanding.
Eckert's more intimate style certainly humanizes the past. If one reads the introduction, this was not written as a piece of fiction, but puts dialogues into show more the text of the historical account when indicated by the sources. show less

This historical narrative is engaging and interesting. It tells the disturbing story of settlement of Indian lands in Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana in the 1700s and early 1800s. Simon Kenton is the main focus of the narrative, but other important characters include Daniel Boone, George Rogers Clark, Mad Anthony Wayne, Tecumseh, and William Henry Harrison. Although I grew up in Indiana, I learned a lot about this history that I did not know.

The author calls this a novel about the settling of whites beyond the Allegheny Mountains, primarily in Kentucky and Ohio, but also a bit beyond to Indiana, Tennessee and Missouri. It reads like non-fiction--straightforward narrative with chapter notes. The author does impute emotions to the characters in a novelistic way. The dialog is supposedly taken from diaries and published accounts. I found the writing plain but the history fascinating, especially since I grew up in Ohio and was somewhat familiar with many of the characters. And there are a lot of characters. Allan W. Eckert deals with all the leading Native Americans, U.S. and British military leaders, frontiersmen, settlers, merchants and con-men that lived or visited Kentucky show more and the Northwest Territory. He covers the establishment of nearly every city and village (native or settler) in the area; every raid and murder (again on both sides) and military actions. It sometimes became a bit overwhelming, but his "touchstone" characters were the famous frontiersman Simon Kenton and legendary Shawnee chief Tecumseh. He filled in the background on their parents, siblings and lives from birth to death. Eckert began and ended the book with Kenton's story and regularly returned to him during the narrative.

In general, I enjoyed the book. The middle sagged a bit and, as I mentioned, the detail could get overwhelming. I would give it three stars for reading pleasure and the fourth for the great research. I will be reading the sequel. One chapter note struck me. According to Eckert, Andrew Jackson (our 7th president) was likely born at sea and ineligible for the Presidency. He presents some compelling firsthand accounts (one, a woman who claimed to have delivered him on the boat) and muddy dates (Simon Kenton mentioned meeting Jackson leading a gang of men in Kentucky when, according to the official biography, Jackson would have only been twelve years old.) Our first birther controversy! I recommend this book for those serious about early US expansion history. If you're looking for a romantic story or more traditional HF, this isn't the book for you. show less

What an incredible read.

Such atrocious acts, committed on all sides, were hard to read about. I am originally from Ohio, so getting to read about the amazing events and the incredibly brave (and stupid) acts from the different men and sides was very gripping. At some points, it was hard to believe that such things happened.

This book, while written in a style some would find uncomfortable for a straight history, is wonderful! It's really the only book that goes into the life of a truly amazing American, Simon Kenton (a contemporary of Daniel Boone), with great details and obvious admiration, but also looking at the whole period 1755-1813 almost with a microscope.

Quite engaging, and mostly historical (with large grains of salt).