Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1904-01-02
THE BOWIE KNIFE.
TRUE STORY OF THE ORIGIN OF THIS
FAMOUS WEAPON.

Here is the true story of the bowie
knife and its inventor, James BLACK
The narrative was written by Dah W.
Jones former governor of Arkansas
md a scion Of one Of the oldest ana
most respected families of Arkansas
1t was written originally as chapter
for the novel Of southwestern pioneer
life. aaron Clark" written by the late
Colonel ]. n. Smithee, veteran jour
nalist of Little Rock. who, weary OF
life and It's ills, sent bullet crashing
through his brain while his teilow
townsmen were celebrating the nations
natal day, 1902. Here is Ex-Governor
Jones' story of the origin of the bowie
knife:
James Black was born In a village
I'm the state of New Jersey May l, 1SOO.
His mother having died when he was
quite young, his father married wom-
an with whom James could not agree
At the early age of eight years he ran
away from home and went to Phlladel-
mia where he was apprenticed TO
manufacturer of silver plated ware
named Henderson, an act subsequently
opproyed by James father. At the
time of being apprentlced James did
not know his age, and judging from his
size he was placed in the indenture at
eleven years. Some years afterward'
upon q visit to 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-
ouently his apprenticeship expired IN
1919. when he was only eighteen In
stead Of twenty-one years old.
On returning to Washington he open
ed a blacksmith shop and soon had all
the work he could do. At that time
Washington was 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 despera-
does as we'll 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 to manu-
featuring them, and especially to tenn
pering the steel Of which they were
made 1t soon became known that his
knives wert 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 1t. it being the custom Tor
each man to furnish the pattern, made
of wood or pasteboard, Of the exact
size and shape Of the knife wanted
Blacks experience as a silver platter
during his apprenticeship enabled MIN
TO plate his knives, either with silver
or gold. when required by the pur-
chaser, which gave them an addiuonal
charm and a higher price. 1t was his
rule, after tempering and shaping q
knife and before polishing It, to cut
very hard wood with it. generally an
old hickory ak handle which had been
used for long time and had become
quite tough and hard. This he would
do for a half hour and then II the
knife would not easily shave the nalr
from his arm he would throw it away.
His knives ranged in price from 50 to
$50 each, the price varying according
to the quantity of gold or; SS{ifger used
in plating, the five dollar Ii TOW, having
no plating at all; but theN -sper Of
each was the same. each Beng SUD-
mitted to the severe test above men,
toned.
About 1888 or 1884, perhaps a little
earlier. James Bowie went 10 Washing
ton and gave Black an order for a
knife, furnishing a pattern and desir-
ing II TO be made within the following
sixty or ninety days, when he would
call for It, Black made the knife ac-
cording to Bowie's pattern. He knew
Bowie we'll and had high estimation
of him as man Of good taste as well
as unflinching courage. He had never
made q knife which suited his own
taste in point Of shape and concluded
this to be a good opportunity to do SO.
Consequently after completing the
knife ordered by Bowie he made anoth-
er and when Bowie returned showed
them both to him and explained the
difference between them, at the same
time giving him his choice at the same
price. Bowie promptly selected Blacks
pattern. Shortly after this Bowie be-
came involved in a difficulty with three
desperadoes, who assaulted him with
knives. He killed them all with the
knife Black had made. After this
when any one ordered q knife from
Black, instead of furnishing a pattern
as formerly, he would order 1t to be
made like Bowle's, which was finally
shortened into make me a bowie
knife" Thus this famous weapon ac-
Quired its name Bowie himself was
not mechanic Of any kind. He was
killed in the Alamo with Davy Crock
EFT, surrounded by dead Mexicans,
whom he had killed with that same
knife.
Other men made knives in those days,
and they are still being made, but no
one has made the bowie knife except
James Black. Its chiefest value was In
its temper. Black undoubtedly pos
sessed the Damascus secret. 1t came
to him mysteriOusly. and 1t died In the
same way.
He often told me that no one taught
him the secret and that 1t was impossi-
BILE for him to tell how he acquired it
His apprenticeship only gave him ex-
perience In plating iron and steel, not In
working In them. Large offers were
made to him for the secret, but he re-
fused them all. He was stealthiiy
watched In order that his processes
might be discovered, but his reputa
ton for courage was such that no one
approached him too closely after being
once warned to desist.-Indianapo
Sentinel.
Trouble For Henry.
II see," said Mrs. Henpeck, that s