Kit Carson and His Three Wives

A Family History

Marc Simmons

Narrated by Kirk O. Winkler

Available from Audible

Book published by University of New Mexico Press

Kit Carson (1809-1868) has long held a prominent place in the popular imagination of the American West. However, little is known about his family life, thanks largely to Carson's own guardianship of his privacy. After almost four decades devoted to researching Kit Carson's personal life, Marc Simmons provides information here to further our understanding of Carson.

Viewing Kit Carson's career as a husband and father sheds new light on the life choices he made. The changing economy of the 1840s made it increasingly difficult for a trapper and scout to support a growing family. Carson's years as an Indian agent in the 1850s provided him stability, although he was never able to spend as much time with his family as any of them would have liked and he was never able to bring in a comfortable income.

Marc Simmons is considered New Mexico’s historian laureate and has published over forty books on New Mexico history. He resides in Cerrillos, New Mexico.

REVIEWS:

“All those interested in the mountain men saga and the development of New Mexico should read this book. It is well written, with excellent illustrations and a comprehensive listing of source documents. ”

—The Journal of America's Military Past

“Marc Simmons is the leading scholar of the life of Kit Carson, and this absorbing volume presents the mostly heretofore unknown stories of Carson's wives and families.... This finely-crafted book is recommended to everyone with an interest in Carson and to anyone who has never heard of Kit Carson. ”

—Santa Fe Trail Association Newsletter

“Simmons' portrait of an illiterate hunter and patriotic family man is a fascinating reading adventure.”

—Southwest BookViews

“Kit Carson and His Three Wives is a fine introduction to the subject of this controversial westerner, as well as an important contribution to the literature about women in the Southwest and the growing subject of the history of families. ”

—New Mexico Historical Review

“Simmons's book fills many nagging gaps in the famous frontiersman's life, and provides an illuminating and enjoyable read.”

—Journal of Arizona History