Finding Family Mentioned In A Novel

September 12, 2018 by in category The Writing Journey by Denise Colby, Writing tagged as , , , with 2 and 0
Home > Columns > The Writing Journey by Denise Colby > Finding Family Mentioned In A Novel

Imagine you’re reading a fiction historical romance book set in the back country of Montana and one of the characters asks another character if he’s always been a freighter.

He responds with no. He was a trapper.

Aww. Cool. Immediately my mind went to my Great-Great-Great-Grandfather who was a trapper. I continued to read.

He was a part of the great mountain men.

Wait! My Great-Great-Great-Grandfather was called that too. Now my heart was thumping faster as I continued to read. Somehow I just knew what I would see next.

Mountain men like Jedidiah Smith and Jim Clyman.

Stop the presses! That’s my Great-Great-Great-Grandfather’s name! Here in the fiction book I’m reading!!

How cool is that?

I ran around the house showing everyone my Kindle I was so excited!

A lover of all things history, I’ve wanted to write a blog post on James Clyman and our family history for a while, but I’ve been so busy with other topics, I hadn’t gotten to it, but I just had to share this exciting news and tell you a little about him now.

James Clyman.  My Great-Great-Great-Grandfather. 

James Clyman Trapper, Mountain Man Great, Great, Great Grandfather to Denise M. Colby

He called himself a mountain man. A trapper with Jedidiah Smith, he was the one who sewed Jedidiah’s ear back on after a bear almost swiped it off.  He also came over the pass in the sierras and encountered the Donner Party, advising them not to go that way since winter was settling in. And unfortunately they opted not to listen.

Just how do we know all this? He wrote journals. Daily. Details describing who he met and what he did.  Those journals have been printed into books. One titled Frontiersman, was printed in 1960 in a limited number mostly for libraries.

James Clyman Frontiersman Book James is Denise M. Colby Great Great Great Grandfather 6th generation

 

He apparently wrote it all on slates and his daughter composed it into a book. I haven’t read it through completely but there’s a chapter on the Black Hawk War and being in the same unit as future President Lincoln and another on his later years when he settled in Napa, Ca.

 

 

 

James Clyman Journal of a Mountain Man Book Denise M. Colby 6th Generation to James Clyman

 

Another smaller version came out in the 1980s. My dad signed that one for me. Writing on the inside cover that I’m the 6th generation born in Napa to James Clyman. Pretty cool.

 

 

And even more cooler…I’ve actually seen the original journals.  They are in the Huntington Library in Pasadena.  

 

James Clyman in a 4th grade history book with jedidiah smith

A Page from a 4th Grade History book from 2014

 

 

He’s in the 4th grade history books as well, which was a real treat for my boys whenever they got to that particular unit.

 

 

 

 

 

He’s buried in the same cemetery as my parents and his grave is part of a historical tour they host every once in a while. 

Another historical nugget – the original ranch house is still standing. My dad used to spend his summers there and when the land was sold off for housing developments my parents purchased in the neighborhood.  You could see the top of the ranch house if you stood in my parents backyard.

Great Great Great Grandfather to Denise M. Colby 6th Generation to James Clyman

 

There’s more but I’ll save that for another post. I have plans for him to make an appearance in a book or two someday. With all the books out there to read, how fascinating I found someone who beat me to it.

Author Bio
Author Bio
Although new to the writing fiction world, Denise Colby has over 20+ years experience in marketing, creating different forms of content and copy for promotional materials. Taking the lessons learned from creating her own author brand Denise M. Colby, Denise enjoys sharing her combined knowledge with other authors. If you are interested in a marketing evaluation and would like help in developing a strategy for your author brand you can find out more here http://denisemcolby.com/marketing-for-authors/
  • The Brand Challenge; Adding Book Pages To Your Website
    Imagine you’re reading a fiction historical romance book set in the back country of Montana and one of the characters asks another character if he’s always been a freighter. He responds with no. He was a trapper. Aww. Cool. Immediately my mind went to my Great-Great-Great-Grandfather who was a trapper. I continued to read. He was a […]
  • Photo Journal of The New York City Library
    Imagine you’re reading a fiction historical romance book set in the back country of Montana and one of the characters asks another character if he’s always been a freighter. He responds with no. He was a trapper. Aww. Cool. Immediately my mind went to my Great-Great-Great-Grandfather who was a trapper. I continued to read. He was a […]
  • Use Your Own Photos As Background Images In Your Graphics
    Imagine you’re reading a fiction historical romance book set in the back country of Montana and one of the characters asks another character if he’s always been a freighter. He responds with no. He was a trapper. Aww. Cool. Immediately my mind went to my Great-Great-Great-Grandfather who was a trapper. I continued to read. He was a […]
  • Love & Romance Disney Couples Style
    Imagine you’re reading a fiction historical romance book set in the back country of Montana and one of the characters asks another character if he’s always been a freighter. He responds with no. He was a trapper. Aww. Cool. Immediately my mind went to my Great-Great-Great-Grandfather who was a trapper. I continued to read. He was a […]
  • My Word for 2023 is Change
    Imagine you’re reading a fiction historical romance book set in the back country of Montana and one of the characters asks another character if he’s always been a freighter. He responds with no. He was a trapper. Aww. Cool. Immediately my mind went to my Great-Great-Great-Grandfather who was a trapper. I continued to read. He was a […]
×
Although new to the writing fiction world, Denise Colby has over 20+ years experience in marketing, creating different forms of content and copy for promotional materials. Taking the lessons learned from creating her own author brand Denise M. Colby, Denise enjoys sharing her combined knowledge with other authors. If you are interested in a marketing evaluation and would like help in developing a strategy for your author brand you can find out more here http://denisemcolby.com/marketing-for-authors/
  • Veronica Jorge says:

    Hi Denise, What an exciting discovery and a fabulous way to get people more interested in history.

  • mariannehdonley says:

    How cool is that? VERY. Looking forward to hearing more about your great-great-great grandfather. Plus, daily journals–no wonder you’re a writer, it’s clearly in your blood.

  • Copyright ©2017 A Slice of Orange. All Rights Reserved. ~PROUDLY POWERED BY WORDPRESS ~ CREATED BY ISHYOBOY.COM

    >