ThoughtCo, May. He was the ninth of ten children born to veteran of the American Revolution Rezin Bowie, and his wife, Elve. Edmondson (2000), p.122. Although he never found the elusive treasure, Bowie won the admiration of his fellow citizens when he and his small party of prospectors held out for several days against a large band of hostile Indians who attacked their camp. March20, 1832) and James Veramendi Bowie (b. July18, 1833). The following month, on April 25, 1831, Bowie married 19-year-old Maria Ursula de Veramendi, the daughter of his business partner. On November 26, troops under Bowie helped capture a Mexican horse herd in what was to be called the Grass Fight. Bowie engaged Mexican patrols during his mission, driving them back. He also claimed to be owed $45,000 for his share of Arcadia Plantation. According to one biographer, he also learned to speak Cherokee, or at least some fashion of the language. On Saturday, the "Sweet Escape" singer, 53, was joined by family and friends as she attended Monster Jam at So-Fi Stadium with younger sons Apollo Bowie Flynn, 9, and Zuma Nesta Rock, 14, as seen . In other words, there were many different versions of the large hunting knife which Bowie became famous for carrying. Most of their training occurred as they marched to the north. The Battle of Concepcion of the Texas Revolution, The Texas Revolution and the Republic of Texas, The Life and Legend of David "Davy" Crockett, 10 Facts About the Independence of Texas From Mexico, Biography of Sam Houston, Founding Father of Texas, 8 Important People of the Texas Revolution, The Battle of the Alamo: Unfolding Events, Biography of William Travis, Texas Revolution Hero. Published April 24, 2023 3:51 p.m. PDT. [75][76] Although the Mexican army was able to get within 200yards (183m), the Texian defensive position protected them from fire. James' parents had lived in Tennessee before moving to Kentucky, where James was born 1796. Bowie pledged a dowry to his wife of $15,000 and claimed the properties he owned were valued at over $220,000. Jim was preceeded in death by his parents, wife Kay . Black's life . Jim was preceded in death by his parents, wife Kay, and Brother Stewart Bowie. [43] Many Bowie family members, as well as "most authorities on the Bowie knife tend to believe it was invented by" Rezin. The Veramendi household was particularly hard-hit. Bowie was hailed as a hero. When the advance units of the Mexican Army arrived, Bowie asked for a parley, without consulting Travis. [68] After a second battle, in which Piedras lost 33men, the Mexican army evacuated during the night. The Mexican Constitution gave precedence to Mexican citizens over Americans when they applied for land grants. They sold that property in 1800 and relocated to what is now Missouri. She died just weeks before the two were to be married. She passed away just a few weeks before their wedding. [91][92] Bowie refused to answer to Travis, who called an election for the men to choose their own commander. It might seem like an . [51] For the next 18 months, Bowie traveled through Louisiana and Mississippi. Fearing for the safety of his wife's relatives in San Antonio, Bowie invited her cousins, Getrudis Navarro and Juana Navarro Alsbury, as well as Alsbury's 18-month-old son, Alijo Perez Jr., to stay inside the walls of the Alamo. Austin's is just the latest death connected to the Bowie County jail. The nature of his illness has long been disputed. Bowies older brother John recorded his birth date as March 10, 1796. It was his prowess in using it which led to the design becoming known to posterity as the Bowie Knife. The saddlebags they carried were filled with grass to serve as fodder for the Mexican Armys animals inside their positions, where none could be had. After two weeks of siege, the Mexicans attacked the morning of March 6. Wallace O. Chariton. William Barret Travis joined the regular army formed by the provisional government of Texas and commanded by Sam Houston. I had not seen the relic but ABS master smith Greg Neely had sent me a picture he . Contrary to popular belief, he did not invent the knife which bears his name. Many early Americans were drawn to the western frontier of the new republic among them the Bowies. He dithered with Long, and profited from selling supplies to the men gathered at Galveston, while informing the Spanish authorities of Longs plans via the Spanish consul at New Orleans. There were at least ten additional witnesses to the duel who did not engage in the fight, which was between twelve men, including Bowie and Sheriff Norris Wright. Unable to adequately care for the wounded men, Bowies party returned to San Antonio. (future wife of James Bowie). A newspaper article claimed that a Mexican soldier saw Bowie carried from his room on his cot, alive, after the conclusion of the battle. While Bowie was ill at Natchez, a cholera epidemic swept through Monclova. I am a star!". It has been generally accepted lore for over a century that James Bowie's wife was Jeanne Mirabeau, to the extent that history books have it and there is a Find-a-Grave virtual grave set up for her with James Bowie. Daughter of Juan Martn de Veramend and Josefa Candida Gertrudis de Veramend Wife of Col. James "Jim" Bowie (commander Alamo volunteers) . The commander, Jose de las Piedras, was concerned over the increasing tension between the mostly American citizens of several towns and the Mexican authorities. On February 8 Colonel David Crockett of Tennessee arrived with another dozen men. Raised on the frontier, the Bowie children worked hard, clearing land, planting crops, fishing, hunting, and running a farm and plantation. Bowie was seriously ill and delirious by that time, confined to his bed. In 2016, 20-year-old Morgan Angerbauer died. The following year he returned to land speculation and was appointed a land commissioner tasked with promoting settlement. Garrisons were established, including at Nacogdoches, to enforce the immigration law and to collect taxes. Family Search. Over time, he owned some 700,000 acres. At that time, James Bowie was in Natchez, Mississippi, and was ill with yellow fever. Throughout his life, which was poorly documented at the time, James Bowie was a controversial figure. The Mexican government finally passed laws in 1834 and 1835 that stopped much land speculation. [87] Houston knew that there were not enough men to hold the fort in an attack, and he gave Bowie authority to remove the artillery and blow up the fortification. [108] Santa Anna ordered the alcalde of San Antonio, Francisco Antonio Ruiz, to confirm the identities of Bowie, Travis, and Crockett. Wiki User 2011-03-16 03:53:54 This answer is: Study guides Mexico 20 cards. James Bowies wife, Maria, began wearing widows weeds. In January 1836, Jim Bowie was in charge of the group of volunteers at the garrison of the Alamo. The slaves, rendered legal property by the purchase from customs, were then sold upriver to plantations in Mississippi, where they received a considerably higher price than in New Orleans. His officers rejected the idea by vote and Austin resigned from command. The article focused primarily on the exploits of Jim Bowie. H. W. Brands, Texas Monthly. [82] As they returned to San Antonio, Bowie took 60mounted men to intercept the party,[83] which they believed carried valuable cargo. When the United States purchased the Louisiana Territory in 1803, it promised to honor all former land grant claims made to French and Spanish colonists. Andrew Jackson called for volunteers to defend Louisiana from the British. Bowie and his men charged the pack train, scattered the animals and drove back the troops. "Biography of James 'Jim' Bowie." This, and other stories of Bowie's prowess with a knife, led to the widespread popularity of the Bowie knife. This is how the situation stood on February 23, 1836, when General Antonio Lpez de Santa Annas army arrived in San Antonio. At the time, Bowie claimed to have a net worth of $223,000 ($5,670,000 today), mostly in land of questionable title. A memorial to defenders is in San Fernando Cathedral. Eyewitnesses who remembered Bowies big butcher knife began to spread the word of Bowies prowess with the lethal blade, capturing public attention and starting the legend of Bowies reputation as the Souths most formidable knife fighter. [79], On November 3, 1835, Texas declared itself an independent state, and a provisional government was formed, with Henry Smith of Brazoria elected provisional governor. Read More: 10 Remarkable Fraudulent Discoveries and Inventions. "[107], Bowie perished with the rest of the Alamo defenders when the Mexicans attacked on March 6. Jean used his cover as a spy for Spain to resurrect his piracy and smuggling operations, making weekly trips to New Orleans to meet with Spanish authorities in the city. Nonetheless, along with his siblings, he was schooled, learning to read, write, and speak English, French, and Spanish as a child. After fighting off a vicious Tawakoni attack while searching for a silver mine, Bowie won even more fame as a tough frontiersman. https://www.thoughtco.com/biography-of-jim-bowie-2136241 (accessed May 2, 2023). When the Mexicans attacked at dawn, the Texians took cover in a horseshoe-shaped gully and, because of their excellent defensive position, longer firing range, and better ammunition, were able to repel the Mexican soldiers who retreated after three hours of fighting. If so, he bequeathed his entire estate to his brother and sister knowing that he would leave behind two fatherless children. Alan Ladd plays Bowie in The Iron Mistress, a 1952 film that begins near Bayou Sara in 1825 and ends with his marriage to Ursula Veramendi (Phyllis Kirk) and therefore never shows the Battle of the Alamo. He was well traveled, convivial, loved music, and was generous. William Barret Travis (August 9, 1809 - March 6, 1836) was a 19th century American lawyer and soldier. "Biography of James 'Jim' Bowie." Six miles (10km) from their goal, the group stopped to negotiate with a large raiding partyreportedly more than 120 Tawakoni and Waco, plus another 40 Caddo. His death on March 6, 1836, however, ensured his place in history as one of Texas most interesting figures. On December 6, 1831, San Antonio residents were surprised when Bowie and his men arrived. He split his army, sending about 550 men from Matamoros to Goliad. On October 26 Bowie, with about 90 men, was attacked by a 400-man Mexican detachment at the Battle of Concepcion. [48], In 1828, after recovering from the wounds he received in the Sandbar Fight, Bowie decided to move to Coahuila y Texas, at that time a state in the Mexican federation. In the late 1820s, Bowie and his brother John were involved in a major Arkansas court case over land speculation. Known as the Battle of Calf Creek, as the Indians surrounded the men, the fighting lasted for 13 hours. When the Mexican infantry advanced, the Texans devastated their ranks with fire from their long rifles. [104] Bowie fought viciously in spite of being shot at least three times and stabbed with a sword cane. After learning that Santa Anna had 4,500troops and was heading for the city,[88] Bowie wrote several letters to the provisional government asking for help in defending the Alamo, especially "men, money, rifles, and cannon powder". Bowie was known as a legendary fighter; the large Bowie knife is named after him. He needed permission from the Mexican government to search for the mine, if it existed at all. The Mexican army raised a red flag to warn the defenders that no quarter would be given. On each occasion, he bought smuggled slaves and took them directly to a customhouse to inform on his own actions. [89] Travis became the sole commander of the forces when Bowie was confined to bed. As Colonel of the militia, Bowie organized and led a party of 26 men west into the Indian country, departing from Gonzales on January 23, 1832. [80] The council refused his request, probably because of lingering animosity over his land dealings. [109] After first ordering that Bowie be buried, as he was too brave a man to be burned like a dog,[110] Santa Anna later had Bowie's body placed with those of the other Texians on the funeral pyre. James Black was born on May 1, 1800, in New Jersey; the names of his parents are unknown. According to his older brother, John, James Bowie was born in Logan County, Kentucky, on March 10, 1796 (Historical marker: 36 46' 25"N 86 42' 10"W). He also learned to rope alligators which teemed along the bayous and waterways in Louisiana. In September 1833, Maria Ursula Bowie and their children, her parents, and her brother were visiting Monclova, Mexico, which had become the new capital of the Texas colony. The rush to the territory which followed the War of 1812 led to falsified claims, predated before the purchase. Bowies role in the Texas Revolution extends beyond his well-known participation in the Battle of the Alamo. His military career cut short, Bowie established himself in the lumber business in Rapides Parish, Louisiana. They chose Bowie, infuriating Travis. The relic had been unearthed years earlier by Dr. Gregg J. Dimmick, author of the highly acclaimed book, Sea of Mud. Wee Willie Harris - Photo: Derek Berwin/Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images. [90] Bowie was older than Travis, had a better reputation and considered himself a colonel, thus outranking Travis, who was a lieutenant colonel. Ottawa police said James Bowie, 39, was . Battle of the Alamo. Not yet a state, Louisiana still retained a frontier atmosphere. Bowie heard the tales of wealth to be had for the digging and was intrigued. Other areas assembled similar volunteer militias. Despite conflicting accounts of his death, the "most popular, and probably the most accurate" accounts maintain that he died in his bed while defending himself against Mexican soldiers.[4]. Best Known For: Jim Bowie was a fighter in Texas Revolution who died during the defense of the Alamo. The remaining Mexican troops were marched under guard, commanded by Bowie, to San Antonio, where they were released and sent home. He openly dealt with pirates and smugglers, often working as a smuggler himself. Bowie bought slaves from Lafitte at Galveston, took them to New Orleans, and reported the transaction to customs authorities. After holding an election, the two officers settled on a joint command with Travis in charge of the regulars and Bowie in command of the volunteers. A number of films have depicted the events of the Battle of the Alamo,[120] and Bowie has appeared as a character in each. The native-born citizens of Texas were known as Tejanos and the American immigrants as Texians in 1835. Both Bowie brothers were fluent in Spanish, and became adept at creating claims which were later found to be fraudulent in American courts. Bowie commanded a group of volunteers. Online, Long Expedition. [38][39] Wright died instantly. It was his prowess with the knife which forever linked his name to it, though there is considerable evidence that his skill, and his penchant for using it, were greatly exaggerated. James and his older brother Rezin enlisted in the Lousiana Militia in late 1814 to fight inthe War of 1812, but they arrived inNew Orleans too late to participate in any fighting. [12][20] In June 1819, he joined the Long Expedition, an effort to liberate Texas from Spanish rule. In 1829, he became engaged to Cecilia Wells, but she died in Alexandria on September 29, two weeks before they were to be married. [89] In another letter, to Governor Smith, he reiterated his view that "the salvation of Texas depends in great measure on keeping Bxar out of the hands of the enemy. She claimed to have seen Crocketts body near the chapel, among several dead Mexican troops. The incident made both the man and the knife legends as word of the deadly fight spread. This was the first major battle of the Texas Revolution. Norris Wright, the sheriff with whom Bowie feuded, and Bowie attended a duel between Samuel Wells and Dr. Thomas Maddox on September 19, 1827. So did his fearsomeness as a knife-fighter. Before long, Laffite was delivering slaves to Bowies Island in Vermilion Bay. Faced with additional mouths to feed after the reinforcements arrived, and insufficient supplies with which to continue to resist, Cos asked for terms on December 9. It was in country inhabited, and jealously guarded, by Indians. According to the reporter's version of Rose's account, when Travis realized that the Mexican army would likely prevail, he drew a line in the sand and asked those willing to die for the cause to cross the line. He falsified French and Spanish documents that said he had purchased the land in Louisiana. The presence of pneumonia with no available medication, a lack of nutrition, and a chronically compromised immune system is fatal and was very likely the cause of James Bowie's death. James "Jim" Bowie was a slave-trader, adventurer, and land speculator who spent his entire life on the American frontier. This enhanced his reputation, although they didn't find the mine. The name "Texian Army" is sometimes applied to this militia. By the end of 1834 there were approximately 30,000 Americans in Texas, compared to about 7,500 Tejanos. He did instruct his men to follow the orders issued by Travis, and was occasionally carried outside of his room when the weather allowed, but he weakened steadily, and may well have been dying before the Mexicans carried the fort. The knife which became known as the Bowie knife likely evolved over time. Bowie became very ill sometime in late February 1836. Christopher Minster, Ph.D., is a professor at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador. James Bowie (/bui/ BOO-ee[1][2][3])[a] (c.1796 March 6, 1836) was a 19th-century American pioneer, slave smuggler and trader, and soldier who played a prominent role in the Texas Revolution. [122], Rock star David Bowie, who was born David Robert Jones, adopted the folk legend's surname. [74], On the foggy morning of October 28, Mexican General Domingo Ugartechea led a force of 300infantry and cavalry soldiers and two small cannons against the Texian forces. Bowie County in northeast Texas, and the city of Bowie in Montague County, Texas, were both named in honor of James Bowie. In late October 1835, they laid siege to San Antonio, where Bowie's contacts among the population proved extremely beneficial. James was born in Logan County,Kentucky, on April 10, 1796, to Rezin Bowie, Sr., and Elve Catesby Jones Bowie. Groneman (1996), pp. [67], Between 1830 and 1832, the Mexican Congress passed a series of laws that seemed to discriminate against Anglo colonists in the province of Coahuila y Tejas, increasing tension between the Anglo citizenry and Mexican officials. Jones changed his last name in the 1960s because he feared confusion with Davy Jones, a member of the already famous The Monkees. San Antonio was a city of about 2,500 residents, most of them Mexican. A portrait believed to be of Ursula de Veramendi Bowie. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. The Alamo is the property of the State of Texas, and Cs surrendered and returned to Mexico, taking with him the last Mexican troops in Texas. Bowie traveled throughout Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi during the ensuing two years, engaging in land speculation and enhancing his reputation as a rugged and daring man of the frontier. The city of Bowie and Bowie County, both in Texas, are named after him, as are countless schools, businesses, and parks. He also announced that those who fought the Mexicans or otherwise supported the rebellion, were pirates and would be treated accordingly under international law. James Bowie was raised on the frontier, and much of his childhood was spent working in the fields of his familys farm. The Bowie Lafitte scheme gave James $65,000, equivalent to $1.3 million today, with which to speculate in land. It was a stop for a time on the route they used to smuggle slaves overland after purchasing them from the accommodating Lafitte. He was one of the almost sacred trinity of the Alamo, though a legendary figure on the American frontier before he went to the Mexican territory of Texas. Kelby Ouchley, 64 Parishes. The troops were marching on San Antonio, hoping to defeat Mexican General Martn Perfecto de Cos and end the conflict quickly. He then purchased the grants, using the estates to which he claimed title in Arkansas and Louisiana as collateral. He played a prominent role in the Texas Revolution. Juana Navarro Perez Alsbury, who was related to Ursula Veramendi, wife of James Bowie, was accompanied by Alejo Perez Jr., an 11-month-old son with her first husband, Alejo Perez Sr. At the. Ron Soodalter, Kentucky Monthly. [47] The design of the knife continued to evolve, but a Bowie knife is now generally considered to have a blade 8.25 inches (21.0cm) long and 1.25 inches (3.2cm) wide, with a curved point, a "sharp false edge cut from both sides", and a cross-guard to protect the user's hands. Bowie, too weak to walk, asked to be carried over the line. . According to legend, when Travis drew a line in the sand and told the men to cross it if they would stay and fight, Bowie, too weak to walk, asked to be carried over the line. Thirty-fiveyears after the Alamo fell, a reporter identified Louis "Moses" Rose as the only man to have "deserted" the Texian forces at the Alamo. Bowie may have been the first to induce settlers to apply for empresario grants, which could be sold in bulk to speculators, as Bowie had. Immigration was banned by the Mexican government in 1830, but the settlers in Texas simply ignored the ban. Disheartened, the Mexicans fled back to San Antonio. The Texans believed the war was over, for the most part. When he grew up, he was described as standing six feet tall, weighing about 180 pounds, having light hair, grey eyes, and a temper. [10] His father was wounded while fighting in the American Revolutionary War, and in 1782 he married Elve, the young woman who nursed him back to health. The Bowies first settled in Georgia and then moved to Kentucky. Bowie was once again hailed a hero. He was among the Americans who died at the Battle of the Alamo. The Battle of Concepcin and the Capture of San Antonio. When General Martn Perfecto de Cos learned of this, he sent 400 soldiers to attack the Texians camped at Concepcin. Mexican losses included 14 killed and 39 wounded, some of whom died later. Alamo.com. Jean Lafitte preferred piracy to serving as a governor in the proposed Republic of Texas. To acquire land, Bowie approached more than a dozen Mexicans, urging them to apply for land grants. "David said: 'I just want to make it . Meanwhile, a fight broke out among the spectators, between those who had supported either duelist. In land speculation, he was both a victimizer and a victim. How and where he first met Jean Lafitte is unknown. [1][2][3][7] (Some reference works refer to an incorrect alternate pronunciation /boi/ BOH-ee[7][8][9]). [29], The Anglos in Texas began agitating for war against Santa Anna, and Bowie worked with William B. Travis, the leader of the War Party, to gain support. Neill officially ceded his command to Travis on February 11, but most of the men distrusted him. Maria Ursula Veramendi Bowie Daughter of Juan de Veramendi and Josefa Candida Gertrudis Navarro de Veramendi Wife of Col. James Jim Bowie (commander of Alamo Volunteers) Married April 25, 1831, in San Fernando de Bexar, Tx. Part of operating a large farm of the time included skills at the forge, to repair plows and other implements, and Bowie had experience both working iron and racking charcoal. Others said he was killed by soldiers while too weak to lift his head. The cargo gave the battle its name. Article, Archie P. McDonald, Handbook of Texas History. James and his older brother, Rezin, shared an extremely close relationship. Contemporary report of the Sandbar Fight in the Niles Register. Bowie was there on behalf of Wells. A charming and energetic man in his mid-thirties, Bowie visited San Antonio de Bxar where he met Ursula de Veramendi, the daughter of Juan Martn de Veramendi, vice governor of the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas. Industries War. Bowie became engaged to a woman named Cecilia Wells in 1829. On November 19 they camped about six miles east of the San Saba River, where war parties attacked them. The duelists each fired two shots and, because neither man had been injured, resolved their duel with a handshake. "[117], Jim Bowie was inducted posthumously into the Blade Magazine Cutlery Hall of Fame at the 1988 Blade Show in Atlanta, Georgia, in recognition of the impact that his eponymous design had upon generations of knife makers and cutlery companies.[119]. [45], After the Sandbar Fight and subsequent battles in which Bowie used his knife in self-defense, the Bowie knife became very popular. James Bowie had two children, by his wife Ursula. His wife and two young children died in an 1832 cholera epidemic. When the raiding party finally retreated, Bowie reportedly had lost only one man, while more than 40Indians had been killed and 30 were wounded. Bowie, who was there at the time, fled to the American settlements to the north. Lafitte was offered the post of governor of Galveston Island once the new government was established as the Republic of Texas. Bowie was a born leader, never needlessly spending a bullet or imperiling a life. Bowie later became acquainted with Jean Lafitte, the legendary Gulf Coast pirate who was involved in illegal smuggling of enslaved people. On January 26, one of Bowie's men, James Bonham, organized a rally that passed a resolution in favor of holding the Alamo. 1998, Exploring the Alamo Legends. Died: March 6, 1836 in San Antonio, Mexican Texas Spouse: Maria Ursula de Veramendi (m. 1831-1833) Children: Marie Elve, James Veramendi Early Life James Bowie was born in Kentucky in 1796 and was raised in present-day Missouri and Louisiana. [62], Maria Ursula, her parents, and both children died in September 1833 during a cholera epidemic that swept through the South and along major waterways.

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