James Clyman facts for kids

James Clyman (born February 1, 1792 – died December 27, 1881) was an amazing explorer and guide in the American West. He was also known as Jim Clyman. He was a brave mountain man who traveled across many wild lands.

James Clyman's Early Life

James Clyman was born in 1792 on a farm in Fauquier County, Virginia. This farm actually belonged to George Washington! When James was about 15, his family started moving a lot. They went from Virginia to Pennsylvania, and then to Ohio. In 1811, his family finally settled down in Stark County, Ohio.

In 1812, Clyman became a ranger. He joined the army to fight the Shawnee people in the War of 1812. After the war, he became a farmer in Indiana. He also traded goods with the local Native American tribes there.

In 1821, James Clyman started working as a surveyor. A surveyor measures and maps out land. He worked near the Little Vermilion River in Illinois. He was hired by a son of Alexander Hamilton to map lands along the Sangamon River.

Adventures as a Mountain Man

In 1823, Clyman went to St. Louis to get his pay. There, he met William Henry Ashley, a famous explorer. Clyman decided to join Ashley's expedition and stayed with them until 1827. He even fought in the Arikara War in 1823.

Clyman kept a journal of his travels. He wrote one of the only two stories about Hugh Glass's terrible attack by a grizzly bear. Clyman also traveled with other famous explorers like Jedediah Smith. After a fierce grizzly bear attack, Clyman helped Jedediah Smith recover from his injuries.

Clyman also explored with Thomas Fitzpatrick. Together, they helped discover the South Pass. This was an important route through the Rocky Mountains. He was also part of a group of four who paddled around the Great Salt Lake. They proved that the Buenaventura River was just a myth. People used to believe this river flowed from the Great Salt Lake all the way to the Pacific Ocean.

Life After Exploring

After his many explorations, James Clyman bought a farm near Danville, in Vermilion County, Illinois. He also opened a store there.

In 1832, the Black Hawk War began. Clyman joined the fight. He left the army in early 1834 and went back to Illinois. Less than a year later, he returned to Wisconsin in January 1835. He spent some time in Milwaukee County.

In the fall of 1835, he decided to travel further north with his friend, Ellisworth Burnett. On November 4, 1835, they were attacked by two Native American men. This happened near where Theresa, Dodge County is today. Burnett was killed, and Clyman was wounded. But he managed to escape and hide in the woods. This story became very well known in the area. Years later, when people settled in Dodge County, they named one of the towns "Clyman" to remember what happened there.

Later Years and the Donner Party

In his later years, Clyman traveled back West again. He crossed the Great Salt Lake Desert and the Sierra Nevada mountains. On his way back, he met the Donner-Reed Party. This group of pioneers was trying to reach California.

Clyman gave them important advice. He told them not to take a shortcut and to stay on the regular, safer route. However, they did not listen to his warning. Sadly, they ended up getting stranded and trapped by an early blizzard in the Sierra Nevada. Many people in the Donner Party died.

In 1848, James Clyman settled down in Napa County, California. He built a home on Redwood Road. He lived there until he died in 1881. He was buried in the Tulocay Cemetery in Napa, California. His home was restored and sold in 2022.