James Fenimore Cooper （September 15， 1789 – September 14， 1851） was a prolific and popular American writer of the early 19th century. He is best remembered as a novelist who wrote numerous sea-stories and the historical novels known as the Leatherstocking Tales， featuring frontiersman Natty Bumppo. Among his most famous works is the Romantic novel The Last of the Mohicans， often regarded as his masterpiece.