While a small boy, his family moved to Adair County, Missouri where he received his education in rural schools.

It was his involvement in the successful 1896 presidential campaign of William McKinley that earned him the nomination to the post of Consul to Siam (present-day Thailand).

While still a teenager, John Musick had several poems and short stories published, some under humorous pseudonyms such as Benjamine Broadaxe and Ebenezer Slypole.

After devoting his full attention and livelihood to writing, he became quite a prolific author with some 139 works in 277 publications.

This series was hailed by world literary critics at the time as a bold step forward in the field of historical fiction[3] as they explored the discovery and growth of North America through the use of fictional characters while paying strict detail to historical accuracy.