Johnny Osage

The Kentuckians #5

by Janice Holt Giles

Johnny Osage" is the son of Hannah Fowler and the brother of Rebecca of The Believers. He comes by his name because of his close friendship with the Osage Indians. His story is told against the background of the old Osage homeland, the present state of Oklahoma, for by 1821 the frontier had moved westward and Johnny, a restless man who preferred the wilderness unspoiled by civilization, moved with it and became a partner in his brother-in-law's trading post.

To such a man, the arrival of the group of missionaries to "improve"the Osages is far from welcome. And to Judith Lowell, the young teacher dedicated to educating Osage children according to the laws of God and the White Man, Johnny's openly expressed admiration for Osage ways is shocking and inexplicable. But both of them are honest and brave enough to dare to open their minds and hearts to convictions other than their own.

The touching love story of Johnny and Judith is set against a dark and bloody background of raids and massacres in the bitter feud between Osages and Cherokees - a feud in which the U.S. Government plays the role of uneasy arbiter.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Westerns, Historical

288 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1960

About the author

Janice Holt Giles was an American writer best known for her series of pseudo historical novels focusing on life on the American frontier, particularly within Kentucky.

Reviews

[Jeff Dickison · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good frontier story about the rivalry between the Osage and Cherokee Indians in the early 1800's. Johnny Fowler earned his nickname because of his friendship with the Osage. He falls in love with a young missionary teacher, but in the end he must avenge an atrocity committed by the Cherokee leader. Well written, recommended to Western fans.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

The main character of this book is Johnny Osage or Jonathan Fowler, son of Hannah Fowler, brother of Rebecca. He was called Johnny Osage because he was a blood relative to a group of Osage Indians. At times he lived with the Osage Indians. Consequently, this book is largely about Indians, their dealings with the US government and a group of missionaries who came to evangelize them.

In the group of missionary was a woman who Johnny fell in love with. Judith was prime, proper, and strait-laced but underneath she was a strong frontier woman that complemented Johnny, although she didn’t always understand his ways or thinking.

Many of the characters in this book were authentic. This is one reason I like to read Giles. She works history into the story so effortlessly. History is there but easily missed if not looked for.

This is the first Giles’ book I have read whose main character is a man. I wondered if Giles wrote Johnny Osage for men. It is also the first book with swearing, which is befitting men, I suppose. At least it is more authentic in this setting and would appeal to men. It would be interesting to know if men read this book when it was published in 1960.

This book is the beginning of a two book series. Voyage to Santa Fe is the continuance. Both are well worth reading.

[Mike (the Paladin) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The relations between the whites and the Indians (Native Americans) was at best touchy on the eastern frontier. But the relations between the tribes was just as touchy. As a matter of fact it was mostly down right hostile. Kentucky wasn't called the Dark and Bloody ground because it had red grass.

The wars between the Cherokee and the Iroquois predate this novel which concerns itself with the times of the very real Cherokee and Osage wars.

[Mitzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm beginning to believe JHG can't write a bad book - I've not read them all yet, but I have yet to read one that I didn't enjoy. That being said, this one didn't quite "grab" me as much as some of the others have - but I think it was probably more of a personal preference thing than any lack in the book itself. It was nice to read more about the children of my beloved Hannah Fowler - especially Stephen and Rebecca from The Believers...

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as a young adult and reread it recently. I love Janice Holt Giles. Her best was The Believers, about a woman trapped into joining the Shakers in Kentucky. Recommend. It was written in the late 1950s but it is timeless.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellently written historical fiction story of the native American wars in Arkansas and Oklahoma.

[Stacy Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book at an antique mall because I liked the way the cover looked (my version is not like the one pictured here). I used it for a couple of years stacked up with a couple of other books as decoration. But then one day, I thought it was a little silly to have a book in my house as decoration that I had never even opened up. So I sat down and in a couple of days I finished this book. It was a easy, steady read. There was enough flucuation between action and romance to keep me interested. I would have liked deeper development of the characters, but it's only 288 pages, so I guess that's a limited space to really get to know the characters. It opened my curiosity to the frontier era and I'm sure I'll look for more books set in this time.

[Greta Marlow · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was really disappointed in this book. Giles wrote one of the books (Hannah Fowler) that was a favorite when I was a teenager devouring all the historical fiction I could get my hands on. I've had Johnny Osage on my bookshelf for a while; since it's about roughly the same time period and set in the same place as the two novels I've written, I didn't want to chance letting myself be subconsciously influenced. Well, I don't think I should have worried. This book had some parts that hearkened back to Hannah Fowler, but for the most part, I found it to be very tedious and too intent on making Johnny out to be a "tortured soul." Plus, I wasn't a huge fan of how the story ended, both the dramatic climax or the "happy ever after" that was sort of tacked on at the end.

[Audrey K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Osage tribe of Native Americans is beautifully and respectfully described in this story of Johnny "Osage" Fowler, and takes place in 1821 in what is now Oklahoma. My Gran (grandmother) once told me that any book written by Janice Holt Giles is a well-written story worth reading, and I would agree with her! I have a few of this author's books. When reading this story, I can appreciate all the hardships my ancestors might have faced nearly 200 years ago, when this country was young and the dangers and challenges were many.

[Wyyknot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Johnny Osage by Janice Holt Giles (1960)

[Toesnorth's mom]

good