Among The Shoshones.

WILSON, ELIJAH NICHOLAS ["UNCLE NICK"].

Publication: Skelton Publishing Company, 1910, Salt Lake City

First edition. First issue. 8vo. 222 pp., frontis. [photograph of E. N. Wilson], preface, illustrated, portraits, plates. A unique copy bound in full leather and likely bound for the author or publisher, title and illustration imprint on front cover and spine is identical to cloth-bound copies except cloth-bound copies have imprint in black, while this special leather-bound copy has imprint in gilt and silver. Graff 4702: "A good narrative of Rocky Mountain trapping. Uncle Nick crossed the plains by ox-team in 1850, and thenceforth was trapper, Indian fighter, pony express rider, ox-team freighter, overland stage driver, companion of Kit Carson, and adventurer in Utah and through all the Rocky Mountain country. The first issue was rigidly suppressed." Howes W520: "Blunt, unrestrained narrative of a trapper, Indian fighter, etc., of the Rocky Mountains, from Wyoming and Montana to Idaho and Utah. The 247 page reprint omits the account of how he lost his Mormon fiancee [given on pp. 194 to 200 of original edition]." Flake 9909: "This first edition was suppressed as critical of polygamy." Bauer Sale 515: "When the book was in sheets, [quoting Elijah N. Wilson], ready for binding, objection was made to the passage beginning on page 194. Under pressure I rewrote that part and added 25 pages to the original but had 20 copies bound as originally written. These I kept for the members of my family." Wilson was also critical of the church's handling of the Mountain Meadows massacre, and in general their handling of Indian affairs as he was sympathetic to the Indian point of view. Wilson, Wyoming was named in honor of Elijah N. Wilson. Very slight sunning to spine and professional repair to 3/4" closed tear to fore-edge of 1 page. Some minor professional restoration to spine ends and corners, else an exceptionally clean, fine, tight, bright copy. Among the major dealers of rare works of Mormon history and Western Americana, only 1 has ever seen a leather-bound copy of this classic rarity. Accordingly, we are pleased to present this exceedingly rare copy for your consideration. A rare book with the rare unexpurgated tale.

Inventory Number: 53152