James Pierson Beckwourth (1798-1866) would be a well known figure in the history of the wild west but for the color of his skin. In this month celebrating Black History, I’d like to draw attention to this adventurer, if only to make him better known among our blog readership.Jim Beckwourth was a character such as the kind from which legends are made like Buffalo Bill Cody and Wild Bill Hickok.
And like those men, Jim could tell a tall tale with the best of them. It was a favorite pastime, sitting around the campfire after a tough day, having a drink and telling stories. Unfortunately, such idle pleasures would be used to discredit his true accomplishments.
Jim Beckwourth wrote about his life with the help of a writer named Thomas D Bonner, who admittedly “polished it up”. Many people in those days would dimiss his story as lies.
But contrary to those beliefs, later evidence tends to support many of his claims.
His mother was a slave and his father was an Englishman who, although prevented from raising his son as he wanted, did ensure that he would be free by providing him emancipation papers.
Jim went west to work as a trapper and guide and was captured by Crow Indians. He was eventually embraced by the Crow and stayed with them up to eight years, facilitating trade with the whites and rising in rank to War Chief. But wanderlust called and even though he married an Indian woman, he simply could not stay in one place.
Jim Beckwourth would travel the country from the Florida Everglades to the California gold mines, looking for adventure and employment and is credited with discovering the Beckwourth Pass through the Sierra Nevadas, used by countless settlers headed for California.
Beckwourth returned to the Crow village where he died on October 29, 1866 at the age of 68. Even his death is subject to various mysterous stories; one claims the Crow poisoned him, another that he committed ritual suicide. Perhaps he just died in his sleep after years of hard living.
In recent years, there has been renewed interest in this historic figure and you can read more about this man's fascinating and colorful life HERE.
But contrary to those beliefs, later evidence tends to support many of his claims.
His mother was a slave and his father was an Englishman who, although prevented from raising his son as he wanted, did ensure that he would be free by providing him emancipation papers.
Jim went west to work as a trapper and guide and was captured by Crow Indians. He was eventually embraced by the Crow and stayed with them up to eight years, facilitating trade with the whites and rising in rank to War Chief. But wanderlust called and even though he married an Indian woman, he simply could not stay in one place.
Jim Beckwourth would travel the country from the Florida Everglades to the California gold mines, looking for adventure and employment and is credited with discovering the Beckwourth Pass through the Sierra Nevadas, used by countless settlers headed for California.
Beckwourth returned to the Crow village where he died on October 29, 1866 at the age of 68. Even his death is subject to various mysterous stories; one claims the Crow poisoned him, another that he committed ritual suicide. Perhaps he just died in his sleep after years of hard living.
In recent years, there has been renewed interest in this historic figure and you can read more about this man's fascinating and colorful life HERE.
James Beckwourth embodies the American spirit of adventure and deserves a prominent place in American history.
hey... a really informative and great post! :-)
ReplyDelete68 years was considered a very long life in those days - certainly above average expectancy, but I'm pleased to hear about this man who until now had completely escaped my knowledge.
ReplyDeleteFor what it's worth, there were a number of runaway slaves who were to various extents integrated into the Seminoles here in Florida. Such things were not uncommon, both people sharing a common and often brutal enemy.
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ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing a piece of history I never knew. I think key to this piece is that a white dad could not bring up his child as he wanted to because of racism. The effects impacted Beckwourth's entire life.
ReplyDeleteThe effects of all black folk who could not raise children as they would have liked still linger today.
Thank you all. He really was quite a colorful character and I think it is our loss that he not more prominently included with other American legends.
ReplyDeleteVery good. I love stories from this period.
ReplyDeleteGreat story and I'm with Holte. I also love history.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post, Rocky. I had never heard of the subject, but am glad I have now.
ReplyDeleteRocky, you do manage to come up with unusual and interesting stories. Where/how did you find this one?
ReplyDeleteTwo years ago, I got wind of another one (but never followed up). There was a Black-American cottage filmmaking industry In Jacksonville after the turn of the century.
LOL 8pus! You know me, always reaching beyond the norm. I found out about Jim Beckwourth several years ago quite by accident while researching some unrelated topic and his story just stayed with me. An unusual old west renaissance man.
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