author
Will C. (Will Croft) Barnes
1858–1936
A frontier soldier, rancher, and early conservationist, he wrote from firsthand experience in the American Southwest. His work carries the texture of Arizona Territory life, from Apache campaigns to cattle country and public lands.
1 Audiobook
Tales from the X-bar Horse Camp: The Blue-Roan "Outlaw" and Other Stories
by Will C. (Will Croft) Barnes
About the author
Born in San Francisco on June 21, 1858, Will Croft Barnes became closely identified with Arizona after arriving there in 1880 as a telegrapher at Fort Apache. He later earned the Medal of Honor for carrying a message for help during the fighting at Fort Apache in 1881, and his long career also included work as a cattleman, legislator, and public official.
Barnes was more than a soldier of the frontier. He served in territorial public life, worked in livestock administration, and became an early U.S. Forest Service official, giving him an unusual view of the Southwest as it changed from contested frontier to governed landscape. That wide experience shaped his writing and helped make him a valued recorder of Arizona history.
As an author, he is remembered for books and reminiscences rooted in lived experience, including accounts of ranching, military life, and the people of the region. He died on December 17, 1936, and remains a distinctive voice for readers interested in the history of Arizona and the broader American West.