Born and living as a youth in Leavenworth, Kansas, John Marchand became a painter, sculptor and prolific illustrator whose work reflected 'western' influences. Despite a brief career, he was prolific, completing illustrations for thirty-five books including Girl of the Golden West and Arizona: A Romance of The Great Southwest, written by Augustus Thomas and Cyrus Townsend Brady.

Growing up in western frontier country, Marchand had first-hand familiarity with Indian Territory. At age 16, he and his family moved to St. Paul, Minnesota. He studied at the Harwood Art School in Minneapolis, and had a job for the Minneapolis Journal. At age 20, he became staff artist for the New York World<...