Howard Greager was born in 1924 in Placerville, Colorado, where his father first operated a saloon and then turned to cattle ranching. Howard spent many years as a cowboy but, like his father, had to seek better paying jobs after his marriage and the birth of their three children.

He started writing short stories for a newspaper
in 1965 and kept at this sideline that he loved to
do until about 1986 when he compiled those works along with more historical articles for his first book, published in 1990. Since then, he has put five more books, all true western history of southwest Colorado, on the market.

Smoke From Old Campfires and Forgotten
Trails, his sixth book, is more about the people
who made the history, personal cowboy experiences and memorable hunting trips.

Howard has been retired since 1984, and when
he is not doing research and writing, he and Betty, his wife of 59 years, stay busy with the marketing of his books. Howard and Betty have three children. Ed and wife Lynne, of Chino Hills, California, Craig and wife Medie, of Norwood, Colorado, and Rebecca, who is the wife of Michael Curtis of Desert Hills, Arizona. There are eight grandsons, four grand daughters in-law, and one great-granddaughter.