David Crockett (August 17, 1786 – March 6, 1836) was an American folk hero, frontiersman, soldier, and politician. He is often referred to in popular culture as the "King of the Wild Frontier". He represented Tennessee in the U.S. House of Representatives and served in the Texas Revolution.
Crockett grew up in East Tennessee, where he gained a reputation for hunting and storytelling. He was made a colonel in the militia of Lawrence County, Tennessee and was elected to the Tennessee state legislature in 1821. In 1827, he was elected to the U.S. Congress where he vehemently opposed many of the policies of President Andrew Jackson, especially the Indian Removal Act. Crockett's opposition to Jackson's policies led to his defeat in the 1831 elections. He was re-elected in 1833, then narrowly lost in 1835, prompting his angry departure to Texas (then the Mexican state of Tejas) shortly thereafter. In early 1836, he took part in the Texas Revolution and died at the Battle of the Alamo. It is unclear whether he died in battle or was executed after being captured by the Mexican Army.[2][3][4]
Crockett became famous during his lifetime for larger-than-life exploits popularized by stage plays and almanacs. After his death, he continued to be credited with acts of mythical proportion. These led in the 20th century to television and film portrayals, and he became one of the best-known American folk heroes.[5][6]
Davy Crockett was paternally of French and Scotch-Irish descent, while maternally of English descent. The Crocketts were mostly of French-Huguenot ancestry, although the family had settled in Ulster in the north of Ireland before migrating to the Americas.[7] The earliest known paternal ancestor was Gabriel Gustave de Crocketagne, whose son Antoine de Saussure Peronette de Crocketagne was given a commission in the Household Troops under King Louis XIV of France. Antoine married Louise de Saix and emigrated to the Kingdom of Ireland with her, changing the family name to Crockett.[8] Their son Joseph Louis[8] was born and raised in Ireland, possibly being born, according to local tradition, near either Castlederg or Donemana, both villages in the northwest of County Tyrone in the west of Ulster; Joseph Louis Crockett later married Sarah Stewart, who was also from west Ulster, she being an Ulster-Scot from just outside the village of Manorcunningham in the Laggan district in the east of County Donegal.[9][10] Joseph and Sarah emigrated to New York, where their son William David was born in 1709. He married Elizabeth Boulay. William and Elizabeth's son David (paternal grandfather of Davy Crockett) was born in Pennsylvania and married Elizabeth Hedge. Historical records indicate that David and Elizabeth were the parents of William, David Jr., Robert, Alexander, James, Joseph, and John (the father of Davy Crockett); they may have had additional children whose records have not yet been found.[11][12]
John was born c. 1753 in Frederick County, Virginia.[12] The family moved to Tryon County, North Carolina c. 1768. In 1776, the family moved to northeast Tennessee, in the area of modern Hawkins County.[13] John was one of the Overmountain Men who fought in the Battle of Kings Mountain during the American Revolutionary War.[14] He was away as a militia volunteer in 1777 when his parents David and Elizabeth were killed at their home near modern Rogersville by Creeks and Chickamauga Cherokees led by war chief Dragging Canoe.[15][16] John's brother Joseph was wounded in the skirmish. His brother James was taken prisoner and held for seventeen years.[17]
John married Rebecca Hawkins in 1780.[18] Nine children of John and Rebecca have been verified by historians and Crockett descendants: Nathan, William, Aaron, James, David, John, Elizabeth, Rebecca, and Margaret Catharine.[8][19][20] Their son David (nicknamed Davy) was born August 17, 1786 and was named after John's father.[21] Crockett's English ancestry comes from his mother Rebecca Hawkins, as the earliest ancestor arrived in Gloucester County, Virginia in 1658.[22]
John Crockett was active in local politics and an advocate of the independent State of Franklin.[23][24] Davy Crockett was born in that area, which is now in Greene County, Tennessee, close to the Nolichucky River and near the community of Limestone. A replica of Davy Crockett’s birthplace cabin stands near the site, situated in the Davy Crockett Birthplace State Park[25]
John continually struggled to make ends meet, and the Crocketts moved to a tract of land on Lick Creek in 1792.[26] John sold that tract of land in 1794 and moved the family to Cove Creek, where he built a gristmill with partner Thomas Galbraith.[27] A flood destroyed the gristmill and the Crockett homestead. The Crocketts then moved to Mossy Creek in Jefferson County, Tennessee, but John forfeited his property in bankruptcy in 1795.[28] The family next moved on to property owned by a Quaker named John Canady — an Irish surname with variant spellings; for example, Crockett’s autobiography referred to the property owner as “John Kennedy”.[29][30][31] At Morristown in the Southwest Territory, John built a tavern on a stage coach route; the Crockett Tavern Museum now stands on that site.[28][32]
When David was 12 years old, his father indentured him to Jacob Siler to help with the Crockett family indebtedness. He helped tend Siler's cattle as a cowboy on a 400-mile (640 km) trip to near Natural Bridge in Virginia. He was well treated and paid for his services but, after several weeks in Virginia, he decided to return home to Tennessee.[33] The next year, John enrolled his sons in school, but David played hookey after an altercation with a fellow student. Upon learning of this, John attempted to whip him but was outrun by his son. David then joined a cattle drive to Front Royal, Virginia, for Jesse Cheek.[34] Upon completion of that trip, he joined teamster Adam Myers on a trip to Gerrardstown, West Virginia.[35] In between trips with Myers, he worked for farmer John Gray.[36] After leaving Myers, he journeyed to Christiansburg, Virginia, where he apprenticed for the next four years with hatter Elijah Griffith.[37]
In 1802, David journeyed by foot back to his father's tavern in Tennessee.[38] His father was in debt to Abraham Wilson for $36 (equivalent to $767 in 2023), so David was hired out to Wilson to pay off the debt.[39] Later, he worked off a $40 debt to John Canady.[40] Once the debts were paid, John Crockett told his son that he was free to leave. David returned to Canady's employment, where he stayed for four years.[41]
Crockett fell in love with John Canady's niece Amy Summer, who was engaged to Canady's son Robert.[42] While serving as part of the wedding party, Crockett met Margaret Elder. He persuaded her to marry him, and a marriage contract was drawn up on October 21, 1805. However,[43] Margaret had also become engaged to another young man at the same time, whom she married instead of Crockett.[44]
He met Polly Finley and her mother Jean at a harvest festival.[45] Although friendly towards him in the beginning, Jean Finley eventually felt Crockett was not the man for her daughter.[46] Crockett declared his intentions to marry Polly, regardless of whether the ceremony was allowed to take place in her parents' home or had to be performed elsewhere. He arranged for a justice of the peace and took out a marriage license on August 12, 1806. On August 16, he rode to Polly's house with family and friends, determined to ride off with Polly to be married elsewhere. Polly's father pleaded with Crockett to have the wedding in the Finley home. Crockett agreed only after Jean apologized for her past treatment of him.[47]
The newlyweds settled on land near Polly's parents, and their first child, John Wesley Crockett, who became a United States Congressman,[48] was born July 10, 1807.[49] Their second child, William Finley Crockett, was born November 25, 1808.[49] In October 1811, the family relocated to Lincoln County.[50] Their third child Margaret Finley (Polly) Crockett was born on November 25, 1812.[51] The Crocketts then moved to Franklin County in 1813. He named the new home on Beans Creek "Kentuck". [52] His wife died in March 1815,[53] and Crockett asked his brother John and his sister-in-law to move in with him to help care for the children.[54] That same year, he married the widow Elizabeth Patton, who had a daughter, Margaret Ann, and a son, George.[55] David and Elizabeth's son, Robert Patton, was born September 16, 1816.[56] Daughter Rebecca Elvira was born December 25, 1818.[57] Daughter Matilda was born August 2, 1821.[58]
Andrew Jackson was appointed major general of the Tennessee militia in 1802.[77] The Fort Mims massacre occurred near Mobile, Mississippi Territory, on August 30, 1813, and became a rallying cry for the Creek War.[78] On September 20, Crockett left his family and enlisted as a scout for a term of 90 days with Francis Jones's Company of Mounted Rifleman,[79] part of the Second Regiment of Volunteer Mounted Riflemen.[80] They served under Colonel John Coffee in the war, marching south into present-day Alabama and taking an active part in the fighting.[81] Crockett often hunted wild game for the soldiers, and felt better suited to that role than killing Creek warriors.