Jim or James Lash was born in East Cleveland, Ohio. He served in the US Navy on submarines and worked in Minnesota and Colorado in the utility sector. He has been married to Martha Anderson for over forty years, and they have five children and seventeen grandchildren. He has served in many capacities for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Most recently as a mission president. Passion for family history has helped him uncover many answers about his ancestors that play out in his writing.