Will James (artist)
Encyclopedia
Will James was an artist and writer of the American West
.
James was born Joseph Ernest Nephtali Dufault, in 1892 in Saint-Nazaire-d'Acton
, Quebec
, Canada
. He started drawing at the age of four on the kitchen floor. James, a Canadian Francophone, settled in the new French-Saskatchewan settlement of Val Marie in 1910 and learned to be a western cowboy. Accused of cattle theft, he left three years later and traveled to the United States
with a new name, William Roderick James.
During the next several years, he drifted and worked at several jobs. He was briefly jailed in Carson City, Nevada, for cattle rustling and took care of the prison's horses during his sentence. He then worked as a stuntman in movies and served in the U. S. Army from 1918-1919. He began selling his sketches. He was a horse wrangler for the First Annual Nevada round-Up in Reno in July 1919. He met and married Alice Conradt, while living in Reno, Nevada, in 1920 and sold his first writing, Bucking Horse Riders, in 1922. The sale of several short stories and books followed, enabling him and his wife to buy a small ranch in Washoe Valley, Nevada
, where he wrote his most famous book, Smoky the Cowhorse. It was published in 1926 and won the Newbery Medal
for children's literature in 1927. Several film adaptations were made of the book, with James narrating the 1933 film. His fictionalized autobiography, Lone Cowboy, was written in 1930 and was a bestselling Book-of-the-Month Club selection. He wrote his last book, The American Cowboy, in 1942. In all, he wrote and illustrated 23 books.
His later years were spent on his ranch at Pryor Creek, Montana
and at his Billings
home on Smoky Lane. He died in Hollywood, California
, in 1942.
The largest public collection of James' writings, artwork, and personal effects is at the Yellowstone Art Museum
in Billings, Montana.
James was inducted into the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame in 1991.
American Old West
The American Old West, or the Wild West, comprises the history, geography, people, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
.
James was born Joseph Ernest Nephtali Dufault, in 1892 in Saint-Nazaire-d'Acton
Saint-Nazaire-d'Acton, Quebec
Saint-Nazaire-d'Acton is a parish municipality in central Quebec, Canada in the Regional County Municipality of Acton. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 832.-Population:Population trend-Language:Mother tongue language ...
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He started drawing at the age of four on the kitchen floor. James, a Canadian Francophone, settled in the new French-Saskatchewan settlement of Val Marie in 1910 and learned to be a western cowboy. Accused of cattle theft, he left three years later and traveled to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with a new name, William Roderick James.
During the next several years, he drifted and worked at several jobs. He was briefly jailed in Carson City, Nevada, for cattle rustling and took care of the prison's horses during his sentence. He then worked as a stuntman in movies and served in the U. S. Army from 1918-1919. He began selling his sketches. He was a horse wrangler for the First Annual Nevada round-Up in Reno in July 1919. He met and married Alice Conradt, while living in Reno, Nevada, in 1920 and sold his first writing, Bucking Horse Riders, in 1922. The sale of several short stories and books followed, enabling him and his wife to buy a small ranch in Washoe Valley, Nevada
Washoe Valley, Nevada
Washoe Valley, Nevada is a geographical region in the United States covering sixty-six square miles in southern Washoe County in the state of Nevada. Located between Reno and Carson City, it is named for the Washoe people, Native Americans who lived there before the arrival of Europeans...
, where he wrote his most famous book, Smoky the Cowhorse. It was published in 1926 and won the Newbery Medal
Newbery Medal
The John Newbery Medal is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association . The award is given to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. The award has been given since 1922. ...
for children's literature in 1927. Several film adaptations were made of the book, with James narrating the 1933 film. His fictionalized autobiography, Lone Cowboy, was written in 1930 and was a bestselling Book-of-the-Month Club selection. He wrote his last book, The American Cowboy, in 1942. In all, he wrote and illustrated 23 books.
His later years were spent on his ranch at Pryor Creek, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
and at his Billings
Billings, Montana
Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, and is the principal city of the Billings Metropolitan Area, the largest metropolitan area in over...
home on Smoky Lane. He died in Hollywood, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, in 1942.
The largest public collection of James' writings, artwork, and personal effects is at the Yellowstone Art Museum
Yellowstone Art Museum
The Yellowstone Art Museum in downtown Billings, Montana is the largest museum in the region .Visitors are welcomed by a rotating spoon called "Will He Drill" at the museum lobby. The old Yellowstone county prison was transformed into the art museum in 1964 and was expanded several times...
in Billings, Montana.
James was inducted into the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame in 1991.
External links
- Will James Collection at the Yellowstone Art MuseumYellowstone Art MuseumThe Yellowstone Art Museum in downtown Billings, Montana is the largest museum in the region .Visitors are welcomed by a rotating spoon called "Will He Drill" at the museum lobby. The old Yellowstone county prison was transformed into the art museum in 1964 and was expanded several times...