Trail of an Artist-Naturalist: The Autobiography of Ernest Thompson Seton

by Ernest Thompson Seton

"Trail of an Artist-Naturalist" is the 1940 Autobiography of Ernest Thompson Seton. Ernest Thompson Seton (1860 - 1946) was an English author and wildlife artist who founded the Woodcraft Indians in 1902. He was also among the founding members of the Boy Scouts of America, established in 1910. He wrote profusely on this subject, the most notable of his scouting literature including "The Birch Bark Roll" and the "Boy Scout Handbook". Seton was also an early pioneer of animal fiction writing, and he is fondly remembered for his charming book "Wild Animals I Have Known" (1898). This volume constitutes a fascinating look into the life of a person who played an important role in the environmental and naturalist movement of a young North America, and it is not to be missed by those with an interest in the history of American Scouting. Other notable works by this author include: "Lobo, Rag and Vixen" (1899), "Two Little Savages" (1903), and "Animal Heroes" (1911). Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this book now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially-commissioned new biography of the author.

412 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1978

About the author

Ernest Thompson Seton was a Scots-Canadian (and naturalized U.S. citizen) who became a noted author, wildlife artist, founder of the Woodcraft Indians, and one of the founding pioneers of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Seton also heavily influenced Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting. His notable books related to Scouting include The Birch Bark Roll and The Boy Scout Handbook. He is responsible for the strong influence of American Indian culture in the BSA.

He was born Ernest Evan Thompson in South Shields, County Durham (now part of South Tyneside, Tyne and Wear), England of Scottish parents and his family emigrated to Canada in 1866. As a youth, he retreated to the woods to draw and study animals as a way of avoiding his abusive father. He won a scholarship in art to the Royal Academy in London, England.

He later rejected his father and changed his name to Ernest Thompson Seton. He believed that Seton had been an important name in his paternal line. He developed a fascination with wolves while working as a naturalist for Manitoba. He became successful as a writer, artist and naturalist, and moved to New York City to further his career. Seton later lived at Wyndygoul, an estate that he built in Cos Cob, a section of Greenwich, Connecticut. After experiencing vandalism by the local youth, Seton invited them to his estate for a weekend where he told stories of the American Indians and of nature.

He formed the Woodcraft Indians in 1902 and invited the local youth to join. The stories became a series of articles written for the Ladies Home Journal and were eventually collected in the The Birch Bark Roll of the Woodcraft Indians in 1906.

He was married twice. The first marriage was to Grace Gallatin in 1896. Their only daughter, Ann, was born in 1904 and died in 1990. Ann, who later changed her first name, became a best-selling author of historical and biographical novels as Anya Seton. According to her introduction to the novel Green Darkness, both of her parents were practicing Theosophists. Ernest and Grace divorced in 1935, and Ernest soon married Julia M. Buttree. Julia would write works by herself and with Ernest. They did not have any children, but did adopt an infant daughter, Beulah (Dee) Seton (later Dee Seton Barber), in 1938. Dee Seton Barber died in 2006.

Reviews

[Elizabeth Vanderesch · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fascinating look into the life of a person who was important not only to the environmental/naturalist movement of a young North America, but of someone who was important to my grandparents and great-grandparents. Ernest Thompson Seton was the founder of the Woodcraft Rangers, an organization not unlike the Campfire Girls or Boy Scouts, which was originally founded to teach young men about the craft of living in and celebrating the natural world and thus helping them to become men who were strong, wholesome and involved in their worlds.

[Jas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting autobiography of Ernest Thompson Seton. Had no idea of the various places around Europe,Canada, and the US where he lived and worked. Much more of a outdoorsman and naturalist than I remembered. Interesting the many important folks he meet and the many hardships he survived through. Good read.

[Don Gubler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great insight into the life of an amazing person and a founding father of Scouting. I just wish there was more on that aspect of his life.