Jim Bobo- Flora Lassiter c. 1890s
[On August 16, 1894, Jim Simpson Bobo of Tullahoma, Tennessee was riding the streets on his "Safety Wheel," similar to the bicycles we ride today. The "Safety Wheel was invented in 1874 which reduced the size of the front wheel by using a chain drive. Jim picked up his four-year-old neighbor's girl, Willie Pelham. In 1973 "little Willie" was interviewed by Debra Moore, "So I clambered on the bicycle," said Willie, "and away we went. And he had on a huge harvest hat. So the wind was blowing and we had gone as afar as the public school tilted his hat and he reached up to catch the hat, and when he did, he lost control of the bicycle, and it ran into a fence and threw him off."
Bobo apparently hit his head on the street and landed on the little girl and died. She was not injured but tramatized by the incident. See also Boswell and Charles Wolfe's detailed account.
R. Matteson 2014]
JIM BOBO (Jim Bob's Fatal Ride)
1. Jim Bob rode a safety wheel; he rode wit hall his might,
Where e'er he went he rode that wheel; to ride was his delight.
So very safe he seemed to feel; a happy man was he,
Until at last he rode that wheel, into eternity.
2. While riding out one evening late: a little girl he spied,
The little tot ran through the gate and asked him for a ride.
The wheel was only made for one, a smaller man than he,
but it had often made the run with two, and sometimes three.
3. And little Jinnie looked so sweet, a happy little child,
That tn her face so fair and, sweet Jinnie looked and smiled.
The angel Death put forth his hand and turned the fatal screw
That was to end his life, poor man; but naught of this he knew.
4. With little Willie on tlhe ;ln front of uncle Jim,
They soon were gliding down the street as day was growing dim.
"Dear Uncle Jim just look at this i qv -iset are slipping down,"
He gave the little girl a kiss and [avl in" wheel a bound.
The wheel ran wild and "tt,.."i. ll" curb, and, bounded back so quick
.{." barely saved the little child, and 6"ot" his own brave neck.
That- night have been r rlo one can tell ; i" an instant there he died,
And long will be remembered well Jim Bobo's fatal ride.
The words of the song are written from memory by Mrs. L.L. McDowell. They are well known-lfrro"gno"t- middle
Tennessee, lhoyeh none lpong those questioned have any idea who composed them. The composer or composers of this
song evlidently had some ability at least in the mechanics of rhyme and measure, as evidenced by the almost perfect
condition of the song in these respects.
The tune is apparently an adaptation of the melody of "Home, Sweet Home" which ls itself ; varlant of an older tune, found ln a nunber of old books of negro songs. The incident related ln the song occurred at the town of Tullahoma, Tennessee, and the lines and other details are accurately given in the song.