The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1903-12-02
THE BOWIE KNIFE.

/ Ill II hON IL NNlT Ia
TRUE STORY OF The ORIGIN OF THIS
FAMOUS WEAPON.
IL Was Made by james Black,
Washington Blacksmith, Who Had
fl Grent Reputation ns Knife
maker.
Here is the true story of the bowie
knife and It's inventor. James Black.
The narrative was written by Dan W
Jones. former governor of Arkansas
and scion Of one of the oldest and
most respected families of Arkansas
It was written originally as chapter
for the novel of southwestern pioneer
life, aaron Clark" written by the late
colonel j. \. Smithec. a veteran jour
naliSt of Little Rock, who weary Of
life and its Ills, sent bullet crashing
through his brain while his fellow
toWHsmcn were celebrating the nations
natal day. 1902. Here is Ex-Governor
Jones STORY of the origin of the bowie
knife
james Hack WAS born in IL village
I'm the state Of New Jersey May j, 1900.
His mother having died when he was
quite Young. his futhcr married wom-
an with whom james could not agree
At the early age of eight years he ran
AWAY from home and went TO Philndel-
phla. where he WIS apprcnticcd 10
manufacturer of silver plated ware
named Henderson, an act subsequently
approved 10y James father At the
time of being apprcnticcd James did
not know his age. and Judging from his
size he was placed in the indenturc mt
eleven years Some years aftcrwnrd,
upon visit 10 his old home after his
fathers death, he discovered his true
age In the family Bible, but did not
disclose the fact TO his master. Conse-
qucntly his apprenticeship expired In
1919 when he was only eighteen in
stead of twenty one years old.
ON returning TO Washington he open
cd II blacksmith shop and soon had all
the work he could do. At that time
Washington WIS a frontier settlement
and nearly all the men went armed,
the weapon most relied upon being the
knife. All kinds Of characters went
there. the most desperate OF despef2-
does rs well as men of gentle mold,
but all understood that each man must
look out for himself Finding the de
mand for the knives being SO great,
Black applied himself largely II manu-
featuring them, and especially To tenn
perng the steel of which they We're
made. 1t soon became known that his
knives were the best that could be OBJ
tanned, and his reputation spread far
and wide. The shape of the knife was
according To the taste of the person
ordering it, it being the custom for
each man Ia furnish the pattern, made
of wood or pasteboard, of the eXact
size and shapc Of the knife wanted.
Blacks experience rs silver platter
during his apprenticeship enabled him
to plate his knives. either with silver
or gold, when required by the pur-
CHASER, which gave them an additional
charm and Il higher price. IT was his
rule, after tcmpcrine and shaping II
knife and before polishing IT, to cut
very hard wood with it. generally an
old hickory ny handle which had been
used for u long time and had become
quite tough and hard. This he would
do for ii half hour, and then If the
knife would not easily shave the hair
from his arm he would throw 1t away.
His knives ranged in price from 81 TO
500 each, the price varying according
to the quantity Of gold or silver used
in plating. the five dollar knife having
no plating ut all, but the temper or
each was the same, each being sub
United To the severe test above men
toned.
About 1888 or 1884, perhaps little
earlier. james Bowie went TO Washing
ton and gave Black an order for Il
knife. furnishing Il pattern and deslr-
Ing il 10 he made within the following
sixty or ninety DAYS, when he would