The story of three generations, each told in the first person.  In the early 1900s GE Kennedy graduated from business school in Missouri and came west.  He became a manager for a lumber company store in the mountains near Gallup.  Many customers were Navajos.  He learned their language and customs.  In 1912, with the backing of a wholesale supplier, he set out for Navajo country to find a site for a trading post.  He settled on Salina Springs where he built his trading post.  At the time there were about 20 trading posts in Navajo country in an area the size of West Virginia.  The people spoke no English and had no money.  It was a life of trading groceries and household items for livestock and rugs. 

From Salina he went to Canyon de Chelly (Shay) at Chinle, AZ.  Later he purchased Rock Springs Trading and Ranch and built the largest ship-dipping facility in the southwest.  My dad, John W was raised at Salina, Chinle, and Rock Springs and learned the trading and livestock business.  He would go on to develop the largest trading operation in the Indian business.  His is the second generation and tells his story. 

I am his oldest son and also grew up in the trading business, first in Zuni and later in Gallup.  My story is the third generation.  I began working with Dad at the age of nine.  By the time I was sixteen I could navigate the intricate network of Navajo reservation roads while consummating trades among reservation trading posts for Navajo rugs and baskets and Zuni jewelry.  I could routinely do deals up to $100,000.   

It was a fascinating life as our family went from horseback and wagons to computers and airplanes in three generations.  We established great relations and friendships among Indian people and Indian traders while pioneering many phases of the Indian arts and crafts business.  There are many photos includes those above showing Granddad’s early trading posts and our rug room in 1950.  We regularly handled over 5,000 Navajo rugs a year and 1 million+ pounds of pinon nuts..

329 pages with many photos and index.   If you would like a special notation with an autographed copy, please note.