John Clay Winch is a native San Franciscan, who has been intrigued by the city’s early history for many years. Mr. Winch attended UC Berkeley as an undergraduate, where he received a degree in English Literature. He studied Creative Writing at San Francisco State University, receiving his Master of Arts in 1985. With an abiding interest in Zen and martial arts, Mr. Winch trained in aikido for sixteen years and holds a black belt in the art. He is also an ardent black powder shooter, with thirty years of firearms experience.