Katia Petrosky

4-21-16

Texas History 7
Period 8
Davy Crockett Biography

Have you ever heard of a man who wore a coonskin cap, who carried Old Betsy, was a
congressman, and fought in two wars? Davy Crockett was a great man, born and raised in
Tennessee. He was adventurous so he went west, found Texas, and with it a war. He fought in the
war, until the very end of his life. He was a congressman, soldier, and a hunter. He was known in
Tennessee as a great sharpshooter and hunter with wits. His fame still lives on today, but who
really was this man?
On August 17, 1786, David Crockett was born to John and Rebecca Crockett in Greene
County, East Tennessee. He had 8 siblings, 5 brothers and 3 sisters. His family owned a tavern
that, when he became older, he would run. In 1798, his father hired his son out for about a year
to help drive cattle. He eventually returned and started school, often playing hooky. He ran away
from home to escape his fathers punishment for 21 years, getting jobs to support himself. In
1802, he returned home and helped work off his fathers debts. Since he had no interest in
running the family tavern, he started hunting and trapping to make a living. In 1806, Davy
married Mary Finley and they had two sons together, John Wesley and William. They moved
from East Tennessee to Lincoln County, Tennessee and then to Franklin County, Tennessee.
In September 1813, Davy joined the Tennessee militia. He worked under Major Gibson
and Andrew Jackson. This was after the War of 1812 had broken out. He joined a mission to seek
revenge at the Creek Indians. The Tennessee militia fought the Indians town in November 1813.
His enlistment expired after 90 days, so he reenlisted as a third sergeant in 1814.
In 1815, he was discharged and came home. He then found out that his daughter Margaret
was born. The summer after his daughter was born, his wife died. In May 1815, he was elected
lieutenant in the Thirty-second Militia regiment of Franklin Country. In late summer, he married
Elizabeth Patton, a widow who had 2 kids (George and Margaret Ann). That September, he and
his family moved to Lawrence County, Tennessee. In 1817 and 1818 he became a justice of the
peace and the town commissioner. He was also elected colonel of the Fifty-seventh Militia
regiment in the county.
In the wilderness of Tennessee, Davy would often go hunting. He was starting to become
widely known as a woodsman in Tennessee. He was already able to think fast in situations that
were life and death. He was able to fight from his experience with the militia. He was more
experienced than pioneers that lived in the woods, which was highly regarded. He was able to
deal with wild animals and any enemies. His reputation as a common sense individual is what
earned respect from the members of his community.
In 1821, Crockett ran for a seat in the Tennessee Legislature. After his win in August
1821, he was involved in public land policy. In 1823, he was reelected but in 1825 was defeated.

In 1826, Maj. M. B. Winchester wanted him to run for Congress and he won in 1827. In 1829, he
ran a second term, but often argued with Andrew Jackson and the Tennessee delegation. Davy
returned to congress in 1833, finally defeating Fitzgerald.
Davy had started to become famous. He was widely recognized as a sharpshooter, hunter,
and yard-spinner. He was the hero in The Lion and the West, a play that opened in 1831. The
book Life and Adventures of Colonel David Crockett of West Tennessee (now known as Sketches
and Eccentricities of Colonel David Crockett of West Tennessee was written about his life. IN
1834, he even wrote his autobiography called A Narrative of the Life of David Crockett of the
State of Tennessee.
After his political career took a bad turn, Davy decided to move to Texas, hence his
famous quote, Since you have chosen to elect a man with a timber toe to succeed me, you may
all go to Hell, and I will go to Texas. At this point, he had no intention of joining the Texas
Revolution. He and 3 other gentleman (William Patton, Abner Burgin, and Lindsey K. Tinkle)
met up in Memphis and started the journey. Their trip to Texas was down the Mississippi River
to the Arkansas, overland to Fulton and up the Red River, across the Red River, through
Clarksville, to Nacogdoches and San Augustine, and then to San Antonio. At San Augustine,
Crockett and Patton continued while the others returned home. On February 8, 1836, Davy his
ensemble made it to the Alamo. He came with his rifle and his fiddle. Travis then offered him
leadership, but he turned him down.
With the help of Texas, he thought he would be able to keep his political career going.
With the promise of a better life in mind, he came to Texas to avoid politics, as they began to
annoy him. He saw a future for himself and the Tennessee men that followed him. He was still
fighting Andrew Jackson, and the Americans that lived in Texas were split into two political
groups. He remained loyal to Col. William B. Travis, who ignored Sam Houstons orders to leave
the Alamo. Houston was loyal to Jackson. He also believed that Texas would become an
independent state and that he would be a part of that independence. Plus, he loved to fight.
Antonio Lpez de Santa Anna had arrived at the Alamo on February 20. The Battle of the
Alamo started on February 23, 1836. The defenders of the Alamo held fort for 13 days. Davy
Crockett and the Tennessee force held position on the southeastern wall for many days. In the
early hours on March 6, 1836, Mexican soldiers sieged the Alamo while the Texans were
sleeping, catching them by surprise. Davy Crockett died on this day. No one knows exactly how
he was killed but some say he died in battle. There are controversies of his death. One was that
he fought Spanish soldiers with an empty rifle and got shot. A survivor said that he was lying
dead near Spanish soldiers. Another controversy was that he survived to the end of the battle but
was captured. He had made up a story that he was a tourist who was sheltering in the Alamo
before he continued his journey. Santa Anna ordered his execution immediately, along with the
other captives.

A Spanish soldier said that he remembered a man that wore a coonskin cap, buckskin
clothes, and held a long gun. Men who fired at him missed but he never missed. Davy Crockett
was a highly recognized man, known for his bravery and his shooting skills. Even though he
wasnt strong politically, he was strong physically, fighting until the end of his life. Learning
about him shows that you can start small and get stronger. His faith to Texas helped us win the
war, even if we didnt win that battle. Remembering him as a strong and independent man, we all
recognize the bravery that he put into the Texas Revolution.