Jemulpo harbor in the late 19th or early 20th century / Courtesy of Diane Nars Collection

The keys that unlock the past are often humble items — overlooked by historians and writers but prized by enthusiasts and collectors. These include stamps, postcards, matchbooks and, in this case, a knife.

In his book, “Knife Talk II,” knife collector Ed Fowler wrote:

“The experiences shared between man and knife are long past. Only minute glimpses of their history are now available to us. But if we, as knife enthusiasts, listen carefully to what few memories are available, we can catch and enjoy a few moments of the events they shared.”

Fowler, an avid listener, was captivated by a recently discovered knife crafted by Michael Price in San Francisco during the 1860s. Fortunately for us, his fascination wasn't confined just to the blade itself; he was equally intrigued by its original owner — John Andrew Clinton.

The American Consulate in Nagasaki in the early 20th century / Robert Neff Collection

Clinton's story feels like something straight out of the old Western novels that were so popular half a century ago. Born in 1852 in Carondelet (now part of St. Louis), Missouri, his early childhood was filled with difficulties shared by most of the country during that troubled era. At the end of the Civil War, when he was just 13 years old, Clinton ran away from home and made his way to San Francisco — a destination for many young men seeking their fortunes in gold or working on the transcontinental railroad.

Somehow, the young runaway managed to scrape together enough money to buy a Sharps Rifle, a hunting knife crafted by Michael Price, and a horse and wagon. With these, he began hunting the seemingly endless buffalo, selling the meat to railroad construction crews for five cents per pound. It was good pay, and Clinton could typically kill at least one buffalo per day.

For nearly four years he worked as a buffalo hunter. However, as the railroad completed its tracks, his services were no longer needed, and he found employment as a scout for the United States Army in the northern Great Plains. When gold was discovered in the Black Hills of the Dakotas in 1874, Clinton fell victim to “gold fever” and became a prospector. It was a dangerous and, technically, illegal occupation, as the lands were off-limits to non-Native Americans. If caught by his former employer, the U.S. Army, he faced legal repercussions; if discovered by Native Americans, he risked losing his life.

The American Consulate in Seoul in the early 20th century / Courtesy of Diane Nars Collection

In June 1876, after nearly two years of back-breaking work and little gold to show for his efforts, Clinton and a group of prospectors decided to go in search of better opportunities. His timing couldn't have been better. He was among the first to witness the aftermath of the Battle of Little Bighorn, where Lt. Col. George Custer and the 7th Cavalry were decisively — and fatally — defeated by Native Americans.

Clinton then drifted to Wyoming, where he continued to prospect. In his book, Fowler provides an amusing anecdote that reinforces Clinton's toughness and incredible luck. One evening, late in the fall, he shot an elk but, because of the increasing darkness, he abandoned it until daylight. The next morning, he returned to find a bear feeding on the carcass. Clinton stood his ground as the bear charged, hoping it would stop long enough for a clean shot — but the bear didn't. Without hesitation, Clinton shoved his rifle into the bear's mouth and fired.

When he regained consciousness, he was surprised to find the ground covered in blood, but the bear was nowhere to be seen. Later, when asked if he searched for the animal, Clinton simply replied, “No, I was just glad he was gone. He was very considerate; he left me one hindquarter of the elk.”

Traveling through northern Korea in the late 19th century / Robert Neff Collection

In 1878, Clinton left the United States and became a mercenary in the African gold fields, working for both the Dutch and the British until 1881, when his contract expired. “While in Africa he shot a black leopard with his Colt revolver, and the Price Knife was used to skin the big cat.”

It isn't clear how long he remained in Africa, but by late fall or early winter of 1886, he was in Nagasaki, Japan, where he learned about the gold rush in the region surrounding Vladivostok. Needing a Russian passport, Clinton paid a visit to the American consul, John Birch, and allegedly gifted the official with the black leopard's pelt — presumably to help facilitate the completion of his paperwork.

Around Dec. 10, 1886, the Japanese steamship Higo Maru sailed into the harbor of Jemulpo (modern Incheon). Among the passengers were Walter Laws — an American seeking employment in Korea (often described as a “beachcomber” or bum) — and Clinton. Although both men had been assisted by Birch, it is highly unlikely that Laws and Clinton associated with one another. Laws promptly made his way to a bar, where he found himself embroiled in a scuffle with a Chinese merchant, resulting in his arrest and subsequent expulsion from Korea.

Clinton, however, made his way to the American Legation in Seoul and applied for a Korean passport so that he could travel overland through Korea to Vladivostok. His passport application provides his physical details: he was 173 cm tall, had a broad forehead, hazel eyes, brown hair, Roman nose and a large mouth. Interestingly, a significant percentage of the American gold miners in Korea in the late 19th and early 20th centuries had blue eyes, while many of the missionaries tended to have brown eyes, making Clinton's hazel eyes somewhat of an oddity.

The location of Hoeryong from a late 19th century map / Robert Neff Collection

Shortly after receiving his passport on Dec. 13, Clinton began his journey to Vladivostok. We know almost nothing about his travels as, apparently, the handful of Americans in Seoul had little interest in him and did not mention him in their correspondence.

By March 1887, Clinton had reached Hoeryong, a walled Korean city on the Tumen River. Located on the Korean-Chinese border, Hoeryong was a marketplace for Chinese merchants and was militarily important for the Joseon government. It was here that Clinton had a potentially fatal altercation.

According to his biographer (who seems to have used family anecdotes), Clinton was traveling with a group of men when they were attacked by Chinese bandits. It was “his 44-40 Winchester 73 [that] decided the battle,” and as a result, other merchants joined his group to be “under the ‘protection of the foreign devil with the rifle that kills many.'”

However, diplomatic despatches present a different picture. According to Russian Minister to Korea Carl von Waeber, the American had an altercation — presumably at a Korean inn — with “three Chinese soldiers dressed in black jackets with red stripes.” Words were exchanged, and one of the Chinese soldiers swung at Clinton, but the American parried the attack, striking the soldier in the face and knocking him to the ground. Another soldier struck Clinton with an iron bar. Clinton retreated to his room, snatched up his rifle and threatened to shoot anyone who entered.

According to Russian officials, “some Korean officials and their underlings succeeded in getting the angry soldiers away.” Clinton was then safely escorted to the Korean-Russian border where he continued his journey to Vladivostok.

An advertisement card from the early 1900s / Robert Neff Collection

In his report to the State Department, Hugh Dinsmore (the American representative in Seoul) noted that there was “no evidence to show how the trouble arose,” but Dinsmore was appreciative of the Korean government and local officials for their efforts to protect the life of a lone American traveling in the distant north. He also expressed gratitude to the Russian government for their assistance.

Clinton arrived safely in Vladivostok but was disillusioned with the Russian mining techniques, which he denounced as being “very primitive.” The local government — notorious for its authoritarian rule and strict punishments — likely added to his negative impression of mining in Russia. Considering his propensity for bending rules, it is easy to imagine Clinton feeling apprehensive of maintaining his freedom. The English-language newspapers in Japan were filled with tales of the horrific conditions American and British whalers and sealers — poachers — endured in Russian prisons. Prudently, Clinton quickly made his way back to the United States.

According to his biographer, Clinton returned to Seattle seeking passage to the gold fields in South America. However, upon hearing that gold had been discovered in Alaska, he immediately changed his plans and sailed north — his Price knife, as always, his constant companion.

Clinton spent at least two decades in the central part of Alaska. His biographer claims that in 1896, he fell in love with a Swedish American woman named Christine, and they were soon married by a steamship captain. “At that point in his life, Clinton decided to abandon the search for gold and started farming. He raised vegetables, selling them to others caught by ‘gold fever,' finding life as a farmer more profitable than prospecting.”

A visitor to Vladivostok in the 1890s / Robert Neff Collection

However, local newspapers and census records dispute some of these claims. We know that on March 19, 1897, Clinton lost his “outfit” — “a good supply of provisions, tents, blankets and cooking utensils” — when the steamship Willapa struck a reef while en route to Juneau, Alaska. Fortunately for Clinton, he was able to replace his outfit, but other miners had to depend upon the generosity of others to continue their journey to the gold fields.

Census reports indicate Clinton was married in 1898 — presumably in Alaska. For several years following his marriage, he worked as a prospector, but he eventually turned to farming. By 1920, he and his family (his wife and their son, David) had moved back to Washington state, where Clinton lived the rest of his life tending a small farm.

Clinton died in 1938. Like many others, his name and past might have faded into obscurity with the passing of time. However, Clinton left behind a legacy — his knife — and through it he lives on forever.

I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Diane Nars for her assistance and allowing me to use two of her images.

Robert Neff has authored and co-authored several books, including Letters from Joseon, Korea Through Western Eyes and Brief Encounters.