Frank Stahl's autobiography has always had a special interest for me since he was my great grandfather. His documented exploits have made him a minor celebrity in our family, although he died in 1937 and few of us in my generation knew him first-hand. The book was published more than 20 years after his death and, as Margaret Whittemore observed, was based in part on existing notes. It is not certain when his notes were first prepared, but Connelley's Standard History of Kansas and Kansans (1918) has an entry for Frank that recapitulates in an abbreviated form many of these same events, so Frank probably already had much written down by then. Other primary and secondary sources that I have seen seem to confirm almost everything he recounts. It would appear that Frank was generally not one to exaggerate, so it is probably reasonably safe to take most of what he wrote as accurate, always allowing for the possible vagaries of memory.

There are other resources that supplement the book nicely. State and federal censuses confirm the existence of most of the people Frank refers to. The website for the Kansas City Public Library has some excellent resources on Kansas City in the 1850s. The National Parks Service's Santa Fe Trail refers to many of the places mentioned in the text. In addition, there are many printed and web sources for Civil War units and battles, as well as western military history, that confirm Frank's accounts. Territorial Kansas On-Line has letters, photographs, and documents that bring the state's early years to life. Finally, resources at the Kansas State Historical Society also help to complement the information provided here.

This book is also available on the Kansas GenWeb page, without links and in a format that mirrors the original published edition. I am grateful for the coordinators of that site for helping to make the book more widely available.

The links I have added are intended to help add context to the narrative and to make it more interactive. I have tried to add enough information to give a feel for the community that Frank was part of. I continue to update the links as information comes to light. Original footnotes have been left in their corresponding position within the narrative.

A special word of thanks goes to my wife, Patti, and my daughter, Erika, for their eagle eyes and patience in proofreading this manuscript. It would not look as good as it does without their invaluable help.

I have always found Frank's autobiography to be a fascinating window into the nineteenth and early twentieth century, especially from the standpoint of the things he experienced and the ways he chooses to narrate them. I hope other readers find it equally informative and enjoyable.

John Meredith

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