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Beckwourth-Wilson research

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Jim Beckwourth was born in Virginia in 1798, to an African American slave woman and her master, a white man. Beckwourth was freed by his father and went on to become a blacksmith before becoming a fur trader with the Crow Indians and explorer of the American Western frontier. He is credited with discovering Beckwourth Pass in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the lowest crossing point in in the Sierra Nevadas, and the Beckwourth Trail, in which he helped settlers cross the terrain into California during the Gold Rush. Beckwourth lived a notable and adventurous life before dying in 1866.This collection contains research by Elinor Wilson on the subject of James P. Beckwourth, the first African American pioneer and mountain man. The collection contains extensive correspondence between Wilson and various academic, libraries, and government agencies in pursuit of information for her book, Jim Beckwourth: Black Mountain Man, War Chief of the Crows, Trader, Trapper, Explorer, Frontiersman, Guide, Scout, Interpreter, Adventurer, and Gaudy Liar, published in 1972Beckwourth.Elinor Wilson, Poway, CA.Unrestricted. Please credit California State Library.California State Library, California History Room
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