The Autobiography of a Criminal

By Henry Tufts

Book Overview

"The Autobiography of a Criminal" offers a vivid and unfiltered window into the life of Henry Tufts, one of early America's most notorious rogues and vagabonds. Set against the backdrop of the eighteenth century and the American Revolutionary War, this narrative details Tufts' lifelong career of petty theft, horse stealing, and daring escapes from various colonial jails. Far from a conventional moralistic tale, the work serves as a picaresque journey through the underbelly of early American society, showcasing the resourcefulness and resilience of a man living on the fringes of the law.

Tufts' recollections provide invaluable historical insight into the legal systems, social customs, and everyday life of the period. From his service in the Continental Army to his encounters with indigenous tribes and his various attempts at reinvention, the autobiography captures the restless spirit of a burgeoning nation. Henry Tufts recounts his exploits with a mixture of candor and wit, making "The Autobiography of a Criminal" a compelling document for readers interested in true crime, biography, and American history. This work remains a significant literary artifact for its authentic portrayal of a colonial life lived outside the bounds of traditional respectability.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.

This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.

As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1025288580
• ISBN13: 9781025288581
• Release Date: February 2026
• Publisher: Tradd Street Press
• Length: 408 Pages
• Weight: 1.64 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.1" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

A VERY important book about 18th century New England

Do NOT be fooled by the idiotic cover drawing!!!! This book is a gem. It is not a novel. The only fictions in it are the lies that the author tells about himself. Even if this were only the personal narrative of Henry Tufts life, that of a con man, horse thief, burglar, jail-breaker, serial bigamist, serial deserter from the Revolutionary Army, it would be enough. The descriptions of his travels, escapades, and interactions, provide an unusually powerful picture of life in New England during the time of the Revolutionary war. It is interesting precisely because Henry Tufts was not a hero, a revolutionary, a craftsman, or a landowner. He was a common man, but perhaps an uncommon criminal. He was a distant relation of the more famous Tufts and either was fairly well-educated or told his story to someone who was. The language of this work is the language of the lettered men of that time, a bit florid but highly descriptive and delightfully laced with wry humor (his description of his escape from the Dover Jail would have made an excellent Harold Lloyd comedy). All this is wonderful stuff, but the crowning glory of this book consists of three chapters hidden in the middle of it. Tufts had been wounded and had the remnants of a knife blade embedded in his thigh. The wound was infected and he thought he was going to die, when an acquaintance suggested that he visit "Molly Occutt" (more commonly known as "Molly Ocket" the renowned Abenaki healer. In chapters 7-9 Tufts describes, in relatively sympathetic terms, his life in an Abenaki village for three years as he hunted with them, and learned medicine from Molly. Other than brief passages in letters, this is the only description of Abenaki life we have. This edition suffers from a lack of maps and the introduction is more concerned with the history of crime than placing the narrative in the geographical, political, and social context it deserves, but it is available and, if you are interested in colonial times, well worth having in your library. As for the cover ... Tufts was a charming con man, a seducer, a person who was easily accepted by his contemporaries as a minister or a doctor. The cartoonish cover shamefully misrepresents him as an obviously unsavory ruffian. Please don't let it stop you from this unique experience.

The Autobiography of a Criminal

The Autobiography of a Criminal is a narrative of Henry Tufts: horse thief, bigamist, burglar, adulterer, con man, scoundrel, counterfeiter, deserter and common criminal. He roamed the American colonies in the late 1700s, visiting several jails and escaping from most of them, before writing his autobiography. ---from book's back cover