James B. Hendryx (1880 - 1963)

James B. Hendryx wrote 40 novels, 13 anthologies of short stories, and many more short stories and non-fiction articles that have only appeared in magazines. These take place in settings from the Northern US and Canada to the Wild West, but the majority are set in the Yukon Gold Rush, with the best known series about Black John Smith of Halfaday Creek, published in 13 anthologies. He really experienced the things he wrote about -- he spent extensive time in the Canadian wilderness, had a ranch in the Badlands of Wyoming, sought his fortune in the Alaskan Gold Rush, and had an enormous range of other experiences, including "enough law school to stay out of jail". He was no armchair adventurer -- he was as tough as his characters, yet with a great sense of humor and gentle manner.