Ernest Thompson Seton

The Arctic Prairies Ernest Thompson Seton

Ernest Thompson Seton (1860-1946) was a Scoto- Canadian (and naturalized U. S. citizen) who became a noted author, wildlife artist, founder of the Woodcraft Indians, and founding pioneer of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Seton also heavily influenced Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of Scouting. His notable books related to Scouting include The Birch Bark Roll and The Boy Scout Handbook. He is responsible for the strong influence of American Indian culture in the BSA. As a youth, he retreated to the woods to draw and study animals. He won a scholarship in art to the Royal Academy in London, England. Seton developed a fascination for wolves while working as a naturalist for Manitoba. He became successful as a writer, artist and naturalist, later moving to New York City to further his career. He was an early pioneer of the modern school of animal fiction writing, his most popular work being Wild Animals I Have Known (1898), which has always been in print. Other works include: Lobo, Rag and Vixen (1899), Two Little Savages (1903) and Animal Heroes (1911).