september february early california hunter based famous chair maker nationally recognized entertainer stood tall known hunting prowess brutality bears indians claimed shot total bears single month hotel keeper musician performed president lincoln skull known publicity seeking appeared stereotypical mountain man dressed east coast selling famous chairs chairs bear skins given presidents presidents honored include abraham_lincoln special relationship president lincoln appearing lincoln funeral claiming witnessed lincoln assassination autobiography dictated published noted putting entertainment value story ahead strict facts descriptions events change retelling contemporary journalists modern writers clearly aware stories contained autobiography chooses version accept early life father ran ferry west branch river central pennsylvania area called called james inn keeper pennsylvania mother german descent family lived reading pennsylvania born pennsylvania learned read write form good letters pen learned spell father took family migrated illinois autobiography stated father fought war illinois claimed father abraham_lincoln fought war friends afterward met future president lincoln circuit riding days illinois time acquired rifle known old kept life rifle long barrel supposed killed battle new skepticism relates long history rifle local newspaper story kentucky sniper shooting british general carrying conversation american general spent years working father mill illinois lumber grinding grain father death sold mill tried farming married pennsylvania children james called austin ellen sons james austin died winter california operating illinois hotel known rendition tune arkansas traveler traveler came day went little western eagle night things order proprietor sitting door playing favorite tune greatest self satisfaction stranger stopping said proprietor resting bow wall stranger tavern course tavern like said away pile hang freight floor home boys continued having little fun table plate house cold night stranger didn like western reception took departure leaving enjoying violin life california claimed migrated california great gold rush worked gold party near present day returned illinois years travelled california explored area near present day california recently rediscovered gold miners seeking faster cheaper route transport supplies early settlement area named known period miners suppliers flush gold little spend christmas hired perform despite lack musical training described fellow noted hunter chair maker dollars orchestra christmas ball repertoire consisted mainly hell little varied responded conscience reached level winter lived cabin wife children died winter gone illinois bring mother remaining children started working hunter feeding troops met future president future general according tradition time brought herd cattle events timing unclear early period sources disagree brought family california illinois dates return illinois starting return california august arrival february return illinois september trip california starting mother children herd cattle course years believed crossed great plains rocky_mountains times travelling foot lived places county including houses near dairy farm bought acres farm ranch land east future october south purchase land established act congress march later built hotel bar site hunter especially hunter bears california noted large population son claimed saw time killed way deliver presidential chairs met methodist bishop writer california recorded impressions sketch presented abused indians bears expressive mixture brutality good humor thorough animal wild frontier life old way pictured writers romance things distance eyes special impression decades later compared eyes california eyes nature special label creations human beings seen eyes eye wild beast seen eyes snakes creatures kind gale night january alerted distress signals breached submerged rock shore surf rescue passengers people saved means people perished hailed hero awarded bible free life time passage ships relations native americans native americans northern california suffered greatly hands european americans half 19th century population decline characterized genocide people lived particularly hard hit population declined brutality noted fellow described enemy red man shot indian sight states took indian hunt partly carry game primarily serve bear bait concludes regarded indians human beings times predatory animals shoot claimed official indian agent little evidence actually served position collected indian artifacts including claimed taken involved people lived near farm continue live small reservation key event history february massacre murdered sleep time sites possibly including specifically identified murderers elected represent county wide meeting ostensibly called discuss ways protect white settlers indians scouted captain according slaughtered captured indians time took captives life entertainer delivering chair president said fine morning found famous use fame starting summer opening exhibit san_francisco august year displayed including chair mounted bears gave lecture shouted related old bar stories hair breadth escapes played skull bones got wind arkansas traveler enthusiasm wound highest pitch bar telling bar tore indian children pieces finally trapped bar young dead indian bar led chain dance stepped man explain bar skin told audience indian ladies looked horrified tell indian way life finish describing chair constructed toured gold mining camps area later opened traveling museums san_francisco sacramento los_angeles trip east_coast exhibited including chairs primarily pennsylvania illinois took year old native american boy named trip died december said took boy trip killed parents displayed chairs late opened museum los_angeles sons presidential chairs large number shed near farm year create fence help created chair traded fort construction chair included matching horns legs arms chair horns matching pair formed rear legs chair hide seat added actual feet feet chair horns connected beneath seat inspired election fellow presidency built presidential chair brought washington kill deer meat range oregon winter killed considerable meat thought easy set cheer view sending washington old got finished boys parts thought travel thought try washington leaving mother children started rifle powder horn cheer shall till president arranged free passage ship golden age panama new_york finally washington help introduction commissioner indian affairs presented chair president pleased present bought rifle pistols return advertised chair present napoleon iii later french involvement mexico abandoned idea took chairs trip east_coast use exhibitions presentation chair president abraham_lincoln saturday november recorded artist known picture lincoln accepting gift drawing shows lincoln examining rifle called presented skull rib favorite played instrument amusement lincoln spectators played essence old virginia bones lincoln said play ask better hands weeks lincoln stated prefer eat chair appoint certain office following april marched president lincoln funeral washington allegedly ford theater night assassination witnessed murder escorted lincoln body way burial far columbus ohio april new_york_times described funeral new_york_city attention attracted walked hunting suit fur rifle shoulder remembered presented lincoln time ago chair california horn continuing acquaintance said enjoyed long conversation day murder stays east_coast photographs chairs taken claimed paid month period photos cents apiece unlikely photographs sold photographs places capitol toured country performing frontier story player tour force presidential chairs presented president september intended surpass previous efforts bears captured legs claws huge sides immense claws seat soft comfortable great feature chair touching cord head monster bear jaws extended seat snapping teeth natural life johnson kept chair white_house library yellow oval room september presented chair governor ohio soon president united_states chair displayed ohio later gave chair constructed bear body parts vice president legacy dictated memoirs published kept extensive newspaper articles time neighbor copied memoirs hand original manuscript sent potential publisher agent lost death published version richmond copy richmond recalled stories collected family friends stories book published gon tell later years lived california family owned hotel bar preparing send chairs president presidential candidate general died accidentally shooting leg interred table bluff cemetery california clothing bought traveling museum collection items including famous chairs displayed san_francisco took collection chicago display world exposition reportedly sold individual items displays suit complete wooden chest owned displays items including suits gallery
Seth Kinman