* He was the ninth of ten children. His siblings included Rezin P. Bowie, who also became a famous knife fighter; John J. Bowie, who served as a Texas Ranger and later became a prominent businessman; and James "Wildcat" Bowie, who was a soldier and politician.
* Bowie was a self-taught blacksmith and knife maker. He began making knives in his early teens, and his blades quickly became known for their quality and durability.
* He was involved in several famous knife fights. In 1826, he killed a man named Norris Wright in a fight over a slave. In 1827, he fought a duel with a man named Jean Lafitte, the famous pirate. Bowie won the duel, and Lafitte was forced to leave Texas.
* Bowie played a key role in the Texas Revolution. He was one of the leaders of the Texas Army at the Battle of San Jacinto, which was the decisive battle of the war. Bowie was wounded in the battle, but he survived and went on to become a hero of the Texas Revolution.
* Bowie died on March 6, 1836, at the Alamo. He was one of the 189 defenders of the Alamo who were killed by Mexican forces. Bowie's death made him a symbol of the Texas Revolution, and his memory is still honored today.