James Beckwourth

James Pierson Beckwourth, born James Beckwith and generally known as, Jim Beckwourth was an American mountain man, fur trader, and explorer. A mulatto born into slavery in Virginia, he was freed by his father and apprenticed to a blacksmith later he moved to the American West. As a fur trapper, he lived with the Crow Nation for years. He is credited with the discovery of Beckwourth Pass, through the Sierra Nevada Mountains, between presentday Reno, Nevada, and Portola, California, during the California Gold Rush years, and improved the Beckwourth Trail, which thousands of settlers followed to central California.

James was born into slavery in Virginia, but sources differ as to the year 1798 or 1800. Of mixed race, he had a mother who was an enslaved AfricanAmerican mulatto woman, and his father was her master, Sir Jennings Beckwith, a descendant of Irish and English nobility. Little was known about Beckwourths mother, but James was said to be third of her thirteen children. When James was a boy, his father arranged to apprentice him to a blacksmith so that he could learn a good trade. He acknowledged James as his son. He was apprenticed to a blacksmith until ageto learn a trade. James was fired by the artisan after getting into an argument with him.

Source: Wikipedia