Friday, August 18

     Welcome to the Wannaskan Almanac for Friday.

Born on a mountaintop in Tennessee
Greenest state in the land of the free
Raised in the woods so's he knew ev'ry tree
He kilt him a b'ar when he was only three
Davy, Davy Crockett, king of the wild frontier!

     Yes, yes, it's the birthday in 1786 of David "Davy" Crockett. Except the ballad should say, "Born in a part of North Carolina which later became part of Tennessee." 

     Davy Crockett was a great childhood hero of mine thanks to Walt Disney who was always on the lookout to bring America's past back to life. During the 1955-56 seasons Disney presented a TV series depicting the adventures of Davy Crockett, starring Fess Parker, and his buddy George Russell played by the aptly named Buddy Ebson, who went on to later fame as Jed Clampett in the immortal Beverly Hillbillies. 

     I still remember certain scenes from the shows. In the first episode, Davy follows a bear into a thicket armed only with his knife. He looked considerably older tham three. Maybe the bear was three. Anyway, after much thicket agitation, Davy emerged from the bushes, brushed off his deerskin outfit and said, "Bear for supper, George." 

    Davy was apprenticed out to cattle herders during his youth to help support his father's debt-ridden store. There were always Indian wars going on and Davy enlisted in the local militia that supported the army. Davy spent more time hunting game to feed the soldiers than killing Indians. In fact he liked Indians and sympathized with their plight, even though several of his aunts and uncles had been massacred by Indians before he was born.

     Davy was elected first to Tennessee's General Assembly and then to Congress as a representative. He was a great teller of tall tales which made him a natural as a politician. His main interest in Washington  was protecting the rights of the pioneer settlers who were always having trouble with their land grants.

       Davy voted against President Jackson's Indian Removal plan. Most of Crockett's constituents wanted the Indians removed and he lost his bid for reelection in 1835. He decided to move to Texas and aid the Americans who were in revolt against Mexican rule. 

      Davy arrived at the Alamo Mission in February, 1836 just before General Santa Ana laid siege. The Disney version ends with Davy swinging his musket at a swarm of Mexican soldiers. The scene fades to the Texas flag while the ballad plays. I asked my mother what happened next. She said she'd have to look it up. But next season Davy was back again looking just fine, fighting river pirates and racing Mike Fink down the Mississippi. A legend never dies.

"Always be sure you are right, then go ahead."