 |
| 2024, Dec 15, 40th Annual Chatsworth Holiday Parade |
"A Drifting Cowboy" is a personal blog hosted on Blogger (Blogspot) at https://a-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com/. It appears to be written by an individual who self-identifies as an "old cowboy" with deep roots in North American history, blending themes of Western Americana, genealogy, family legacy, and cultural heritage. The blog's content draws from the author's experiences as a horseman, canoeist, folk artist, and Western movie enthusiast, often reflecting on the interplay between cowboy traditions and early colonial/French voyageur lineages. It has been active since at least 2011, with posts spanning topics like frontier life, film history, and ancestral research.
The title evokes a nomadic, reflective cowboy archetype, tying into broader motifs of drifting across landscapes and time.
Author Information
The author goes by the pseudonym "Drifting Cowboy" and does not explicitly reveal a full real name in the blog's content. However, cross-references from related sites and media suggest a strong connection to Jerry England, a California-based movie historian, author, and cowboy folk artist. England has documented Western film locations extensively, particularly in Chatsworth, CA (his hometown), and has published books on the subject. He describes himself as a "cowboy activist, Western movie historian, genealogist, and folk artist" with a family legacy tracing back over 12 generations in North America—encompassing both cowboy and voyageur (French-Canadian fur trader) heritages.
- Background Highlights:
- Raised in Chatsworth, CA, where he researched movie ranches like Iverson Movie Ranch for over two decades.
- Interests include horses, canoes, fishing, art, movies, family history, and the American West.
- He maintains a companion blog, Ripples from La Prairie Voyageur Canoes (https://laprairie-voyageur-canoes.blogspot.com/), focused on French-Canadian voyageur ancestry, fur trade history, and canoeing traditions. This site explicitly credits "Drifting Cowboy" as the author and aims to answer questions he wishes he'd asked his grandfather.
- On YouTube, under the channel Jerry England (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBx3tBrHanGGyfdWHM6Lw3A), he shares videos on Western movie history, including a six-part series titled "Homage to My Voyageur Ancestors," which explores 1670s fur trade stories involving his ancestors as coureurs des bois (woods runners).
No direct contact info (e.g., email) is listed on the blog, but social sharing options (Twitter/X, Facebook, Pinterest) are available via Blogger's tools. A Facebook page titled ""A-drifting-cowboy.blogspot.com"" exists but appears private or minimally active.
Content and Themes
The blog is eclectic but cohesive, weaving personal anecdotes with historical deep dives. Key themes include:
- Genealogy and Immigrant Ancestors: A major focus, especially early colonial settlers. The most recent post (as of August 2025) details the author's 173 direct immigrant ancestors from the Great Puritan Migration (1620–1640), including Puritans, Quakers, Scots, Dutch, and French from New France. It lists lineages (e.g., 20 from Oliver Bailey's line, 80 from Lucy Pinsonneau's French-Canadian side) and discusses their roles in founding communities, governance, education, and the fur trade. Resources like American Ancestors®, Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, and WikiTree are recommended for readers tracing similar roots.
- Western Movies and Filming Locations: Extensive coverage of Hollywood's Old West, particularly Chatsworth's Iverson Ranch. Posts feature series like "Meanwhile Back at the Ranch," profiling "rock star" landscape features used in films, with aerial photos, movie stills, and comparisons to portrayals of places like Lincoln County, NM (Billy the Kid's stomping grounds).
- Fur Trade and Voyageur Heritage: Stories of 17th-century ancestors as voyageurs and coureurs des bois, including canoe trips to Huron Country and Gulf of Mexico expeditions. Linked to the companion blog for deeper dives, e.g., contracts with the North West Company (1797) or poems like "The Voyageurs" by George T. Marsh.
- Cultural Reflections: Broader musings on American identity, blending French ("As American as French Apple Pie") and Puritan influences, with nods to art, fishing, and family values like hard work and community.
The tone is nostalgic and educational, aimed at preserving stories for the author's grandsons. Posts often include images (e.g., historical maps, family portraits, movie screenshots) and links to related content.
Notable or Recent Posts
Here's a selection of key posts, drawn from the blog and related indexes (dates where available; the blog isn't strictly chronological):
Title | Date | Brief Description |
Immigrant Ancestors and the Great Puritan Migration (1620-1640) | August 3, 2025 | Core genealogy post listing 173 ancestors, their ships (e.g., Bevis), arrival years, and impacts on colonial society; emphasizes diversity and research tips. |
As American as French Apple Pie | November 2020 | Explores French-Canadian roots in American culture, tying voyageur heritage to everyday traditions. |
Great Uncle Daniel Amiot: Canoes to the Gulf | July 2016 | Story of an ancestor's fur trade journeys from Quebec to the Gulf of Mexico. |
Great-Granddad Jean: Canoes to Huron | June 2016 | Details 9th great-grandfather Jean Mignault dit Chatillon's 1648 expedition to Huron Country for fur trade invitations. |
Index of Fur Trade Related Tales from ‘A Drifting Cowboy Blog’ | August 2020 (cross-posted) | Compilation of fur trade stories, linking to voyageur blog entries like Peter Pond (a "Connecticut Yankee Nor'wester"). |
Meanwhile Back at the Ranch: Upper Iverson Ranch Overview | ~2012 | Aerial photo analysis of 1950s Iverson Movie Ranch features used in Western films. |
Reel Indians of the Santa Susanas: Iron Eyes Cody | ~2019 | Profile of Native American actor Iron Eyes Cody and his work in Chatsworth-filmed Westerns. |
John Allen (1638–1675) and Battle of Bloody Brook | ~2019 | Historical account of a Puritan ancestor's role in King Philip's War. |
For a full index of voyageur-related posts, see the companion blog's 2025 update (March 2020–February 2025), which catalogs poems, paintings, and family tales.
Online Presence and Mentions
- Related Sites: Heavily interconnected with the voyageur blog; some posts (e.g., fur trade indexes) are mirrored across both.
- Social Media and External Links:
- YouTube: Active channel with Western history videos.
- Pinterest: Pins related to Iverson Ranch and movie locations.
- X (Twitter): Occasional shares by enthusiasts, e.g., links to posts on canoes (2022), Iron Eyes Cody (2019), and Bloody Brook (2019). One 2024 post from @holtenwrtv
references a Chatsworth Western set, aligning with the blog's themes. - Other Mentions: Primarily niche—genealogy forums, Western film blogs, and Facebook. No major media coverage found, but it's valued in hobbyist circles for its detailed, primary-source-style research.
