Living as he did the life of a leader among men, the influence of Charles Fletcher Hyde can not be estimated. That he was strong amidst the strength of the pioneer, that he led in the organization of all worthy activities, and that his allotted years of usefullness far outnumbered those of most men, we know. Of the steeled endurance and the depths of reserve energy which the men on the frontier could never lack, those of the present generation cannot fully comprehend for such hardships are without the circle of present day experience. Therefore , it has been the primary aim of this thesis to preserve pioneer history and, in the second place, to weave these bits of pioneer lore around the life that was ty pical of the frontier. The frontier farmer has not heretofore been given a just share of credit by writers of history. His place seems to have been usurped by the military, political, and business man. The portrayal of the life of any pioneer cannot be entirely a biography, but rather a history of early pioneer days interwoven about the personalities of its makers. It has been the desire of the author to so present the life of Charles Fletcher Hyde that those who have so greatly benefited from the efforts of their pioneer forefathers may form a deeper appreciation for their heritage.