William Joseph Snelling

William Joseph Snelling (December 26, 1804-December 24, 1848) was born in 1804, the son of Colonel Josiah Snelling. Snelling attended West Point but later abandoned the hope of a military career. After this, he spent a winter in a Dakota settlement, learning the Dakota language and culture, which served him in his work as an interpreter, explorer, and writer. He worked as an interpreter between the Dakota, the Chippewa, and the Winnebago tribes. After years of navigating the Minnesota frontier, he moved east to become a journalist.

In addition to journalism, Snelling also published poems, short stories, and satires, turning his wit against political corruption and injustice. His articles and stories were published in American Monthly, The Boston Herald, North American Review, and other publications. His book of short stories, Tales of the Northwest pioneered realism in American fiction. Snelling realized that Native Americans were being portrayed in stereotypical and inaccurate ways, which is why he tried to write as realistically as possible.