Holt Collier: His Life, His Roosevelt Hunts, and the Origin of the Teddy Bear

Book Description

On November 14, 2002, the 100th anniversary of the world famous Teddy Bear will be celebrated. The origin of the Teddy Bear stems from an occasion when President Theodore Roosevelt visited the wilderness of Mississippi in hopes of killing a black bear. He was guided on this hunt by Holt Collier, a former slave, Confederate veteran (yes-amazing though it sounds), Texas cowboy, Mississippi lawman, and noted pioneer. He is known to have killed over 3,000 bear in his lifetime, more than Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett combined. Roosevelt, who also hunted with Collier in Louisiana in 1907, called him "the greatest hunter and guide I have ever known."

Collier killed many white men, several in Mississippi. One exciting incident in his biography is a detailed description of the gunfight at Washburn's Ferry where Collier out-drew the notorious Louisiana outlaw Travis Elmore Sage. He was prosecuted only once-for the murder of a Union captain after the Civil War-but he was acquitted. Collier was famous nationally during his lifetime, but the racial atmosphere in Mississippi for the last eighty years kept his remarkable story from being told. There is no detailed and authoritative work on Holt Collier or the origin of the Teddy Bear other than this book.

Customer Reviews:

Spellbinding!!.......2003-07-15

This is a must-read book for anyone interested in any of the following topics: African-American History, hunting, Theodore Roosevelt, Southern History, the Civil War, and William Faulkner. As an avid Faulkner reader, I cannot help but conclude that Holt Collier is the real-life person upon which the pivotal character of Sam Fathers is based. Beyond this observation, the book is well researched and is an excellent read. You will not be disappointed. HOLT COLLIER deserves a wide audience and should be assigned reading.

Amazing New Biography.......2002-12-24

Brilliantly written non-fiction biography using countless primary sources. An amazing new character never before presented to the general public. If this book had not been sent to me as a present I would have never heard of it. Apparently it has been sold only as a regional book, but I can assure any reader, it will have a national following in due course. Very highly recommended. Well worth the read. You will come away from this book thinking about it for weeks, and frankly, you will soon pick it up to read it again.

The Ultimate Man of the Delta.......2002-12-10

As a history major in college I developed a taste for the truth that can only be found in biographies. Over the years I have kept a small library in my home and under my bed to read at night, prior to retiring. The book by Mr. Buchanan is a detailed, accurate account of this man and his relationships to the men around him and his world. Being a product of the Mississippi Delta, I can see Holt Collier in the deep bayou's of the old Delta, hunting the bears. I admire the writer's style in his ability to place me there beside Holt all along the way in this book. There, in the realities of Holt's world, the reader walks his paths, thinks his thoughts, and feels the anger he feels.

Finally I would like to thank Mr. Buchanan for this effort and look forward to seeing more of his work in the future.

Phenomenally intriguing, accurate, and detailed........2002-11-07

Minor Ferris Buchanan excells in this historical document of Holt Collier: an ex-slave, Confederate soldier, and excellent big-game hunter. I found the portrayal of this very accomplished individual more intriguing and inspiring than any other Afro-American biography I've ever come across (including those of Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. Du Bois, Jackie Robinson, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X)
I loved it!

AN AMAZING MAN.......2002-10-19

I have never written a review before, but here goes....

I had never heard of his name before this book was recommended to me, but this fellow Holt Collier is one of the most amazing men to come out of the American scene in years. Just think, to have been born a slave, to have become a runaway--to seek out his master and fight for the confederacy--unbelievable. And then he out-fought his master during the entire conflict, and it is all backed up by detailed research. Amazing.

Then to become an independent hunter in the lower Mississippi delta where he made a small fortune every year, ultimately becoming a hunter of legendary status, a cowboy and a lawman as well. And those white men he killed in duels--and not to be prosecuted in Mississippi of all places.

Then, when he was getting pretty long in the tooth, to be selected to take Roosevelt on two hunts, arguably the most famous hunts ever on American soil, it seems like it must be fiction, but it is not.

And for this man to be the sole person responsible for the event that gave us the teddy bear. Why has his story not been told before?

Anyway, I strongly recommend this book to anyone interested in southern history, hunting, Theodore Roosevelt, black history, teddy bears, and the civil war.

H Is for Honor: A Millitary Family Alphabet (Sleeping Bear Alphabets)
Average customer rating:

Get your Tissues!

Great book!

H Is for Honor: A Millitary Family Alphabet (Sleeping Bear Alphabets)
Devin Scillian
Manufacturer: Sleeping Bear Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Alphabet | Basic Concepts | Baby-3 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Military & Wars | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | United States | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Family Life | People & Places | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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Everyone Counts: A Citizens' Number Book (Count Your Way Across the USA)

ASIN: 1585362921

Book Description

Written by the son of a career officer, this book explores the branches of the Armed Services and speaks from the heart about the honor, privileges and sacrifices of military families everywhere. Children will discover why drill sergeants have to be so tough, what it means to be patriotic and why we need Special Forces such as the Navy SEALS, the Green Berets and the Army Rangers. H is for Honor also explains why the annual Army/Navy football game is more than just a game, how much letters from home mean to soldiers, how often military families have to move and what life on base is like. With an underlying message of courage and commitment that every child can relate to, the book will be especially meaningful to those whose parents, siblings or other relatives serve in the Armed Forces.

Customer Reviews:

Get your Tissues!.......2007-09-24

I love the rhymes. I have bought one of these alphabet books for each state in which we have been stationed but this is the book I treasure. It obviously is written by someone who's been there.

Great book!.......2007-05-03

This book has amazing full-page illustrations on every page for every letter of the alphabet. Each letter of the alphabet has a little poem to explain various military terms. Then, the sidebar for each letter contains additional information. For example the letter "A" page: the main text reads,

"Give me an A for Army, and an A for Air Force, too.
An A for all the Armed Services behind the red, white, and blue.
They stand at attention, tall and proud, all impeccably dressed.
An A for the American Armed Forces, an A for the world's very best."

The sidebar begins:
"The Armed Services of the United States protect our nation, its people, and its ideals. There are five branches that make up the United States military.

The U.S. Army is the main ground force for the United States. It's the largest and oldest branch of the service, founded in 1775...."

There are 4 more paragraphs on the other branches of the military for the letter A.

I highly recommend this book! My boys love it! (and I do, too!)

The Collector's Guide to New Toy Soldiers: Metal Figures from 1973 to the Present Day

Average customer rating:

The Collector's Guide to New Toy Soldiers: Metal Figures from 1973 to the Present Day
Stuart Asquith
Manufacturer: Nexus Special Interests
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Antiques & Collectibles | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Models | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1854860518

Average customer rating:

From Bear Creek to the River Jordan
Gober O. Elliott
Manufacturer: River City Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Military Science | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1881320898

Cut and Make GI Paper Soldiers (Models & Toys)

Average customer rating:

Cut and Make GI Paper Soldiers (Models & Toys)
A. G. Smith
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0486405818

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Over 100 free-standing, easy-to-assemble, two-sided paper soldiers. These World War II-era fighters are depicted in a variety of action poses — wielding bazookas, firing mortars and machine guns, clearing mines, digging trenches — and they come with numerous accessories, such as a tank, field gun, flag, pup tents, and more.

Dog soldiers, bear men, and buffalo women;: A study of the societies and cults of the Plains Indians

Average customer rating:

Dog soldiers, bear men, and buffalo women;: A study of the societies and cults of the Plains Indians
Thomas E Mails
Manufacturer: Prentice-Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 013217216X

David Crockett, Scout: Small Boy, Pilgrim, Mountaineer, Soldier, Bear-Hunter And Congressman, Defender of the Alamo

Average customer rating:

David Crockett, Scout: Small Boy, Pilgrim, Mountaineer, Soldier, Bear-Hunter And Congressman, Defender of the Alamo
Charles Fletcher Allen
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing, LLC
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Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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1876 White Bear: A Cheyenne Dog Soldier
Charles Simeon Philpott
Manufacturer: PublishAmerica
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Mystery | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

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Suspense | Thrillers | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1424161142
Release Date: 2007-01-02

Book Description

1876 White Bear: A Cheyenne Dog Soldier is an exciting collage of historical detail and riveting fiction. This mystery-thriller carries the reader through the life of an enslaved young Indian boy who escapes his captors and methodically trains to become one of the most elite and feared Native American warriors: a Cheyenne dog soldier. White Bear deftly executes his revenge for the massacres of his father, mother, two sisters and family members at Sand Creek in Colorado and Washita River in Indian Territory (Oklahoma). Two lawmen from the Texas Panhandle find their towns in peril from this unknown, horrific enemy. Baffled by the heinous murders, they join forces with a criminal investigations specialist in Chicago to identify and track the brutal killer. The plight and hardship of the Plains Indians, particularly the Cheyenne, during the late 1800s unfolds as a mesmerizing backdrop for this story of an obscure and swiftly changing era in American history.

Average customer rating:

Dog Soldiers Bear Men and Buffalo Women
Thomas E. Mails
Manufacturer: Galahad Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0883940507

Average customer rating:

Dog Soldiers, Bear Men and Buffalo Women, a studyof the Societies and Cults of the Plains Indians
Thomas E. Mails
Manufacturer: Rutledge/ Prentice-Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KORUZE

Grandma's Best Full-Size Quilt Blocks
Average customer rating:
Grandma's Best Full-Size Quilt Blocks
Better Homes and Gardens Books
Manufacturer: Better Homes and Gardens
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

General | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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Quilting Pieces of the Past (Better Homes & Gardens)

ASIN: 069621265X

Book Description

History, facts, and folklore of quilting along with photos of more than 250 historical quilts.

Instructions for 70 full-size blocks, 10 borders, and 25 blocks on grids.

Full 9-inch blocks shown shown with both historical and contemporary fabric options.

Grandma's Best Full-Size Quilt Blocks (Better Homes & Gardens)
Average customer rating:
Grandma's Best Full-Size Quilt Blocks (Better Homes & Gardens)
Better Homes and Gardens
Manufacturer: Better Homes and Gardens
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Spiral-bound

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Complete Guide to Quilting (Better Homes and Gardens Creative Collection)

ASIN: 0696235277
Release Date: 2006-12-17

Book Description

101 designs with vintage style you can't resist

With 100-plus beautiful vintage styles, easy-to-use full-size quilt block patterns, two different color scheme for each style, and design-enhancing border patterns, this book has everything you need to plan and create a quilt you'll be proud of. Sixty of the patterns even include a drawing of the full-size assembled quilt, and easy-to-follow quilting tips and tricks help you get great results.

Book Description

Every year, Almond Blossom looks forward to spring most of all, but time is passing and it's still wintry in the Flower Fairies Garden. Then, when a ransom note arrives declaring that spring has been stolen, the seasonal ball is postponed and everyone is miserable.

Book Description

Chinese Herbal Secrets lists both Chinese and Western herbs with their uses and effects. It also provides a complete breakdown of the principles of Chinese herbal medicine for the nonspecialist, gives instructions on how to determine constitutional type, and shows how to choose the right herbs. Helpful exercises, homemade creams and tinctures for skin and hair, and delicious recipes are included.

Customer Reviews:

Factual & Fun To Read.......2006-11-12

When you pick up a book in this genre, it's very important to ensure that the info is factual and relatively unbiased. Many of the books on wellness out there are really out to sell some supplement, product or service.

This book only gives you the facts on Chinese medicince. Using very simple language and plenty of illustrations, the author presents the basic principles of TCM - Yin, Yang and the 5 Elements. It's a very different "science", so some people may not believe in it, but there is really nothing secretive or mystic about TCM. It really works.

Especially helpful is the author's glossary of common Chinese herbs and their actions, side effects. He also has a few herbal formulas and food recipes. An essential read for novices who want to learn the basics about TCM.

A simplistic, yet informative guide to Chinese Medicine.......2000-06-04

This is a beautifully illustrated book with an abundance of information. This book is helpful for people who are beginning to learn about Chinese Medicine as well as for those who wish to have a quick reference. If you are learning about alternative healing, this is the book to purchase!

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