Natural and Aboriginal History of Tennessee

1823. HAYWOOD, John. The Natural and Aboriginal History of Tennessee, up to the First Settlements Therein by the White People, in the Year 1768. Nashville: Printed by George Wilson, 1823. viii,390,liv pp. 1/2 title. Contemporary tree calf, spine gilt with brown morocco gilt labels. Wear and rubbing to boards, old repair to upper portion of rear board, corners bumped, joints cracked (but still strong), later tape reinforcements to hinges. Contemporary ownership inscriptions on front pastedown, front free endpaper, and titlepage, modern bookplates to front and rear pastedowns. Moderate foxing and tanning throughout. Good plus. In orange 1/2 morocco slipcase and chemise, spine gilt. HOWES H-359, "b." Sabin 31085. Field 670. Church 1325. Streeter 1659. Siebert Sale 371. Allen Imprints 562. AII (Tennessee) 121. Streeter Sale 1659.First edition of Haywood's substantial account of the natural and aboriginal history of Tennessee. A judge in Davidson County and one of the pioneering historians of Tennessee, Haywood wrote the companion volume entitled The Civil and Political History of the State of Tennessee, from Its Earliest Settlement up to the Year 1796, also published in 1823. In addition to providing much information about the Indians of Tennessee, the author attempts to demonstrate the relationship of Native Americans to the Caucasian race. He also includes details regarding Mexicans, Hindus, Persians, Peruvians, Cherokees, Chickasaws, and Natchez Indians. "In this book, now exceedingly rare and highly prized, the author has brought together a very large number of curious facts, relating to the origin and character of the natives of his State, prior to the settlement by the whites. He does not favor the hypothesis of great antiquity in the Indian nations of America, and believes in their common origin with the Caucasian race. He describes with great minuteness and care the relics of the race which once inhabited the territory, its utensils, skeletons, crania, and fortifications, most of which he appears to have personally inspected" - Field. This is one of the most difficult Tennessee books to acquire, especially in unsophisticated condition.