Davy Crockett

One of our topics in Tapestry of Grace last week was the life of Davy Crockett.

While growing up, I knew Davy Crockett only as a frontiersman, taming the wild with one adventure after another while wearing his trademark coonskin hat. In the '50's (before my time) there was a TV show, starring Fess Parker, which was based on his life. But I never before knew much about his political career.

Crockett was born in Tennessee in 1786. In 1813, when he was 27, he joined the United States army and fought in the Creek War under the command of Andrew Jackson. Later, he became involved in local politics, eventually serving in the Tennessee legislature. In 1827, he was elected to serve the people of Tennessee in the U. S. House of Representatives; he was re-elected to that office in 1829 and 1833. (He was defeated in 1831 by pro-Jackson forces.)

He gained a lot of respect for Andrew Jackson while serving under him in the army, and was a big supporter of his up until the time Jackson became President. Two issues permanently separated him from his friend. In 1828, Crockett sponsored a Land Bill which would allow squatters who homesteaded land the right to buy it at a very low cost. This issue had dominated Crockett's agenda when he was a state legislator. Jackson was opposed to his bill. Then President Jackson enforced the Indian Removal Act of 1830, even after it had been declared unconstitutional by the U. S. Supreme Court. Crockett then became an outspoken critic of Jackson's.

His opposition to Jackson gained him the attention of the Whig party, and they began to consider him for a presidential run in the 1836 election. But then he lost his congressional re-election bid in 1835, the Whig party lost interest, and it seemed his political career was over.

He packed up and headed to the Texas Territory. He thought he might be able to get back into politics there, or at least earn some money as a land agent. He arrived in Texas just as the American settlers there were becoming intent on gaining their independence from Mexico. Crockett quickly joined their cause, and died fighting at the Alamo in March, 1836.

There have been many tall tales told through the years about Crockett and his frontier adventures. And Crockett himself perpetuated his legend with quotes such as the following:

“I am that same David Crockett, fresh from the backwoods, half horse, half alligator, a little touched with the snapping-turtle. I can wade the Mississippi, leap the Ohio, ride upon a streak of lightning, and slip without a scratch down a honey locust. I can whip my weight in wildcats, and, if any gentleman pleases, for a ten-dollar bill he can throw in a panther. I can hug a bear too close for comfort, and eat any man opposed to General Jackson.” ~ A Proud and Isolated Nation

We'll end with The Ballad of Davy Crockett.