author
Charles E. (Charles Eugene) Flandrau
1828–1903
A frontier lawyer, judge, soldier, and storyteller, this vivid early Minnesotan helped shape the territory and then wrote down many of its most colorful memories. His work blends firsthand history with lively tales from the American frontier.
1 Audiobook
The History of Minnesota and Tales of the Frontier
by Charles E. (Charles Eugene) Flandrau
About the author
Born in New York City in 1828, he moved to St. Paul in 1853 and quickly became an important figure in early Minnesota. He served in the territorial legislature, took part in the 1857 constitutional convention, and was appointed an associate justice of the territorial supreme court.
During the U.S.-Dakota War of 1862, he led forces in southern Minnesota and later held the rank of colonel in the Union Army. After the war he returned to public life in Minnesota, where he remained known as a lawyer, judge, and public figure.
He is also remembered as a writer. His best-known book, The History of Minnesota and Tales of the Frontier, preserves both historical recollection and the flavor of frontier storytelling, making him a notable voice from Minnesota's formative years.