A Description of the Western Territory of North America… And An Accurate Statement of the Various Tribes of Indians That Inhabit the Frontier Country… A Delineation of the Laws and Government of the State Of Kentucky…

12mo. original leather 249 pp. Binding is worn, and front joint is cracked. Minor foxing, but internally quite clean. Book label on front paste down. Gilbert Imlay (1754-1828) was a captain in the American army during the Revolution, and was probably born in Mammoth County New Jersey. Shortly after the war he bought a tract of land in Kentucky, and after arriving there became a deputy surveyor and speculated in additional land in that area. The DNB suggests he got in some financial and legal difficulties when he was there and actually left the country. While in Europe he became something of a celebrity in certain circles, and in addition to this work, he actually wrote a novel, The Emigrants. He also managed to have an affair with Mary Wollstonecraft, who he had a daughter with (Fanny), and while he claimed she was his best friend, it is believed that his behavior toward her resulted in two suicide attempts by Mary. According to Field much of the value of this work rests in the fact that it reprints some early sources relating to Kentucky, which have now disappeared or become quite scarce. The information in this book is presented in a series of letters, which includes material on relevant views by Thomas Jefferson, and a list of the Indian tribes in the region by their location.