23. James Bowie was a legend in life and death
Throughout his life, which was poorly documented at the time, James Bowie was a controversial figure. His business dealings were questionable at best, and outright fraud at their worst. In land speculation, he was both a victimizer and a victim. He openly dealt with pirates and smugglers, often working as a smuggler himself. Bowie developed the reputation of being a fearless and skilled fighter with his fearsome knife, though the only documented instance in which he fought with it was the Sandbar fight. He claimed great wealth while relying on his father-in-law for spending money, and he sold claims on land which were not his to sell.
A friend described him as a “clever, polite gentlemen”, though tales of his drunken behavior were widespread during his lifetime. He also cultivated the reputation of being a lady’s man, undeterred by his short-lived marriage to Ursula. His estate at his death was less than $100. In 1852 his brother John published an article in a popular magazine which fictionalized James’ exploits in life, and began the expansion of his legend as a western and southern hero. In the 1950s a television series in the United States further fictionalized his legacy. Today he is remembered primarily for the knife which bears his name, and his death at the Alamo during the Texas Revolution.
Where do we find this stuff? Here are our sources:
“James Bowie Texas Fighting Man: A Biography”. Clifford Hopewell. 1994
“Jim Bowie: Knife-wielding son of Kentucky”. Ron Soodalter, Kentucky Monthly. November 1, 2017
“Jim Bowie”. Kelby Ouchley, 64 Parishes. Online
“Searching for Lafitte the Pirate”. Sally Reeves, New Orleans French Quarter. Online
“Long Expedition”. Harris Gaylord Warren, Texas State Historical Association. Online
“The Sandbar Fight”. Kathy Weiser-Alexander, Legends of America. July, 2018. Online
“Jim Bowie 1796-1836”. Article, Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Online
“Nacogdoches, Battle of”. Article, Archie P. McDonald, Handbook of Texas History. Online
“Exploring the Alamo Legends”. Wallace O. Chariton. 1992
“Texian Iliad – A Military History of the Texas Revolution”. Stephen L. Hardin. 1994
“The Alamo Should Never Have Happened”. H. W. Brands, Texas Monthly. January 20, 2013. Online