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James Bowie Autograph Document Signed. ...
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Description
The Scarcest of Texana Autographs, James Bowie Signs a Promissory Note While in New York
James Bowie Autograph Document Signed. One page, 7 3/4 x 5
1/4 inches, New York; September 29, 1828.A promissory note in which Bowie and Pryor agree that "ninety days after date we promise to pay Ransom Lockwood on order the sum of seven hundred dollars for value rec.d." Signed, "James Bowie" and "John C. Pryor."
While all Bowie documents are scarce on the market, those signed during his travels in New York are extremely so. A decade before his last stand defending the Alamo, Bowie was living in Louisiana working as a slave smuggler and land speculator with his brothers Rezin and Stephen. The brothers bought and sold land in Louisiana and Arkansas. A vast majority of their claims were fraudulent, and the men operated under a cloud of suspicion. In 1831, for example, the Superior Court in Arkansas determined that almost all of the claims sold by the Bowie brothers and confirmed as legitimate in 1827 were, in fact, illegally held. At the time that Bowie signed this promissory note, he had gained unwanted attention from adversaries, spurned clients, and government officials for unfair business practices. This included two commissioners of the General Land Office: George Graham and his new associate, James Turner.
Although Graham had been suspicious of Bowie's claims since at least 1826, the addition of Turner to the land office in 1828 only added to the skepticism. In the fall of 1828, Bowie learned that Turner had likely acquired proof that Bowie had forged some of his surveys and claims. Rather than addressing the mounting evidence against him, Bowie went on the offensive to get Graham removed from his position at the General Land Office. He set off for Washington, D.C. where he planned to "pull every string he could find to get George Graham dismissed from his position... that would solve his problems and get his land speculation back on course." News of Bowie's vindictive mission leaked during his travels north, and by the time he arrived in D.C., Graham had circled the wagons to create a climate unsympathetic to Bowie's complaints.
Finding his Washington trip to be a failure, he went on to Boston to inquire about purchasing machinery from the Boston Manufacturing Company for his proposed Texas cotton mill. Records show that Bowie left Boston no later than mid- to late-September, likely traveling through New York on his return to Louisiana. Only two years earlier, Bowie had traveled to D.C. via the post road from New York on his first attempt to get Graham fired. It is likely the speculator followed the same path in 1828.
With the present promissory note, the undeterred entrepreneur makes yet another business deal. This time, he co-signs with John C. Pryor on a loan from Ransom Lockwood to be paid to John Goodman & Co, a creditor of Bowie's. In addition to increased pressure from government officials, Bowie was facing growing discontent from creditors over his fraudulent schemes. Bowie likely signed this loan to appease Goodman. Only three years later, Goodman sued Bowie and his brother Rezin for restitution of $18,000. The two brothers later signed a bond to their creditor for $16,000.
Bowie returned to Louisiana and immediately fled to Texas to escape his growing business troubles. There, he was elected a commander of the Texas Rangers and became increasingly entrenched in the Texas independence movement. After the War for Texas Independence broke out in October 1835, Bowie took on a leading role amongst revolutionaries. On January 19, 1836, Bowie received word that Santa Anna was moving a large number of troops and subsequently volunteered to lead a force at the Alamo to defend the city from the impending attack. When it became clear that Santa Anna was headed for San Antonio in early February, Bowie wrote numerous letters to the provisional Texas government requesting additional men. By the time Santa Anna's siege began on February 23, 1836, Bowie was ill with pneumonia. In spite of his illness, he insisted on getting out of bed each day to speak with the troops. On March 6, Bowie perished with the rest of the Alamo defenders.
Condition: Creased along folds with an irregular bottom margin. Spotting throughout with a small closed tear to the vertical crease at the bottom margin. Three out of four corners folded.
References: William C. Davis, Three Roads to the Alamo: The lives and Fortunes of David Crockett, James Bowie, and William Barret Travis, New York: HarperCollins, 1999.
Provenance: From the Private Collection of a Mississippi Gentleman.
Auction Info
2023 December 15 Historical Platinum Session Signature® Auction #6280 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
December, 2023
15th
Friday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 2
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 516
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