Joseph A. Altsheler

Joseph Alexander Altsheler (1862–1919) was an American newspaperman and writer of historical fiction for young readers. Born in Kentucky, he worked for the Louisville Courier-Journal and then for the New York World, where he edited the magazine section and began writing stories to fill it. His many novels for boys are arranged in series: the Young Trailers books about the Kentucky frontier, the Civil War series that follows two cousins on opposite sides, the French and Indian War series and the Texan series. The Candidate, a novel of a presidential campaign, is one of his few books for adults.