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Ernest Thompson Seton

Author,Illustrator,Editor

(1860 - 1946)

Image of Ernest Thompson Seton

Ernest Thompson Seton was 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 influenced Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting.

His first wife was fellow author Grace Gallatin Seton Thompson. His second wife was fellow author Julia M. Buttree.

His notable books related to Scouting include The Birch Bark Roll and The Boy Scout Handbook. He is responsible for the appropriation and incorporation of what he believed to be American Indian elements into the traditions of the BSA.

Famously, on his 21st birthday, his father presented him with a bill for his birth, upbringing and education, which he paid -- and never spoke to his father again.

Ernest changed his name from Ernest Seton Thompson to Ernest Thompson Seton in 1902.

As the cofounder of the Boy Scouts of America, many of his publications were ephemeral, such as the Birch Bark Roll of which there seem to have been nearly twenty issues.



Bibliography

The Red Book, or How to Play Indian (1904)

red book on how to play indian seton.jpg book cover

This is the second edition of the handbook that started the Woodcraft Indians.

Author(s): Ernest Thompson Seton
Illustrator(s): Ernest Thompson Seton

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The Red Lodge (1912)

Red Lodge seton.jpg book cover

Limited edition set of bylaws for an adult version of the Woodcraft Indians.

Author(s): Ernest Thompson Seton
Illustrator(s): Ernest Thompson Seton

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The Rhythm of the Redman (1930)

rhythm-of-the-redman-seton.jpg book cover

A collection of Native American songs and dances.

Author(s): Julia M. Buttree
Illustrator(s): Ernest Thompson Seton

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Rolf in the Woods (1911)

rolf in the wood seton.jpg book cover

The story of a friendship between a white boy and an Indian in New York around the time of the War of 1812. Read for free online at Internet Archive.

Author(s): Ernest Thompson Seton
Illustrator(s): Ernest Thompson Seton

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Santana, the Hero Dog of France (1945)

Santana, the Hero Dog of France seton.jpg book cover

A dog and his master give their lives to stop the German advance on Paris in World War I.

Author(s): Ernest Thompson Seton
Illustrator(s): Ernest Thompson Seton

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Sign Talk (1918)

Sign Talk of the Indians seton.jpg book cover

An extensive history of signing and a dictionary of signs, chiefly from North American Indian sign language. Read for free online at Internet Archive.

Author(s): Lillian Delger Powers
Hugh Lenox Scott
Ernest Thompson Seton
Illustrator(s): Ernest Thompson Seton

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The Slum Cat (1915)

Slum-Cat-seton.jpg book cover

Three stories from Animal Heroes: The Slum Cat; Snap: The Story of a Bull-terrier and The Winnipeg Wolf.

Author(s): Ernest Thompson Seton
Illustrator(s): Ernest Thompson Seton

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Storyteller: My Years with Ernest Thompson Seton (2015)

storyteller knox.jpg book cover

Leila Moss Knox lived with Seton and his wife for three years during the 1930’s and here recounts her experiences and some of the stories he told.

Author(s): Leila Moss Knox
Linda L. Knox
Illustrator(s): Ernest Thompson Seton

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The Ten Commandments in the Animal World (1925)

Ten Commandments in the animal world seton.jpg book cover

The author finds that animals respect the natural law.

Author(s): Ernest Thompson Seton
Illustrator(s): Ernest Thompson Seton

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Trail of an Artist-Naturalist (1940)

Trail-of-an-Artist-Naturali.jpg book cover

Autobiography of the Canadian artist-naturalist and founder of the Boy Scouts of America.

Author(s): Ernest Thompson Seton
Illustrator(s): Ernest Thompson Seton

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A Treasury of Cat Stories (1944)

treasury of cat stories seton wodehouse bacon.jpg book cover

An anthology of cat stories from the masters - Wodehouse, Seton, Saki - and the not so well-known.

Author(s): Ernest Thompson Seton
Charles Dudley Warner
P. G. Wodehouse
Et al
Illustrator(s): Peggy Bacon

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A Woman Tenderfoot (1900)

woman tenderfoot seton.jpg book cover

A young woman goes camping in the mountain West. Read for free online at Internet Archive.

Author(s): Grace Gallatin Seton Thompson
Illustrator(s): Ernest Thompson Seton
Et al

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The Woodcraft Manual for Boys of the Woodcraft League (1917)

Woodcraft-Manual-For-BOys-o.jpg book cover

A scouting manual from a precursor of the Boy Scouts of America. Read for free online at Internet Archive.

Author(s): Ernest Thompson Seton
Illustrator(s): Unknown

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The Woodcraft Manual For Girls of the Woodcraft League (1916)

Woodcraft Manual For Girls of the Woodcraft League seton 1920.jpg book cover

An early scouting handbook for girls. Read for free online at Internet Archive.

Author(s): Ernest Thompson Seton
Et al
Illustrator(s): Unknown

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Woodland Tales (1921)

Woodland Tales seton.png book cover

A large collection of nature fairy tales. Read for free online at HathiTrust.

Author(s): Ernest Thompson Seton
Illustrator(s): Ernest Thompson Seton

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Woodmyth and Fable (1905)

WoodMyth and Fable seton 2.jpg book cover

A collection of short myths or fables, most with a moral. Read for free online at Internet Archive.

Author(s): Ernest Thompson Seton
Illustrator(s): Grace Gallatin Seton Thompson
Ernest Thompson Seton

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The Worlds of Ernest Thompson Seton (1976)

Worlds of Ernest Thompson Seton.jpg book cover

Paintings and illustrations by the Canadian naturalist and founder of the Boy Scouts of America.

Author(s): Ernest Thompson Seton
Illustrator(s): Ernest Thompson Seton

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