Christopher Houston &quot;Kit&quot; Carson (December 24, 1809 &ndash; May 23, 1868) was an American frontiersman, fur trapper, wilderness guide, Indian agent, and U.S. Army officer. He became a frontier legend in his own lifetime via biographies and news articles. His (sometimes exaggerated) exploits were the subject of dime novels. In&nbsp;<i>Christopher Carson, Familiarly Known as Kit Carson the Pioneer of the West</i>, historian John Abbott traces the remarkable life of this early American icon.