Davy Crockett and our Documentary
“Good afternoon is this the Rutherford courthouse?”
We had arrived in the northwestern Tennessee city of Rutherford to visit Davy Crockett’s final home before he left to join the fight for Texas independence in 1835.
“Yes, we were hoping to go inside the Davy Crockett cabin? This number was on the door and it said to call…Thank you!”
Jenn hung up the phone and announced, “He’s on his way.”.
Davy Crockett was born in August of 1786. 10 years after American declared its independence!
I’ll bet most people weren’t aware of that.
The gentlemen from the courthouse eventually showed up and just let us into Davy Crockett’s rebuilt cabin.
It was a bit surprising as he literally just opened it up, let us in, then left. Here we were with our kids with artifacts from the early 1800s! 🤯
You can watch our full video tour here…but it was really cool to be walking in the footsteps of someone I used to pretend to be as a kid. (did you ever own a coonskin cap?)
Most probably remember Davy Crockett from the Disney movie that revived this larger than life character who was known for his frontiersman skills, coonskin cap, and ability to spin stories about how he tamed bears that sat at his dinner table.
*side note: I wonder if the Indiana Jones movie poster designers were inspired by this Davy Crockett poster? 🤔
He was very much the frontiersman that his reputation put forward. As a child, his family was incredibly poor so he began indenturement type work for another family close by, learning everything he would need. (perhaps even bear hunting?)
One thing I learned about Davy Crockett….he always seemed to be on the move.
His life, a blend of adventure, political ambition, and tragic heroism, contributed significantly to American folklore.
Here's an overview of his life:
August 17, 1786: Born in Greene County, eastern Tennessee. His early life was marked by poverty and limited formal education, as he often worked to help his family pay off debts.
August 12, 1806: Took out a marriage license and soon after married Polly Finley, with whom he would have three children.
1813-1815: Served in the Creek Indian War, earning a reputation as a skilled scout and hunter while fighting under Andrew Jackson.
1815: His first wife, Polly, died.
1815: Remarried to Elizabeth Patton, a widow with two children, who also brought a considerable inheritance that allowed him to establish a gristmill and distillery.
November 1817: Appointed a justice of the peace in Tennessee.
1821: Elected to the Tennessee state legislature, where he gained popularity for his folksy charm and storytelling.
1823: Re-elected to the Tennessee state legislature.
1827: Successfully ran for the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Tennessee. He served two terms.
1830: Broke with President Andrew Jackson over the Indian Removal Act, opposing the forced relocation of Native Americans. This opposition led to his defeat in the 1831 election.
1833: Re-elected to a third term in the U.S. Congress.
1834: His autobiography, "A Narrative of the Life of David Crockett, of the State of Tennessee," was published, further cementing his public image.
August 1835: Lost his bid for re-election to Congress, prompting his famous declaration, "You may all go to hell and I will go to Texas."
November 1, 1835: Departed for Texas, which was then a Mexican state experiencing a revolution. He hoped to find new opportunities and perhaps revive his political career.
January 1836: Took an oath of allegiance to the provisional government of Texas.
February 1836: Arrived in San Antonio and joined the Texan forces at the Alamo Mission.
March 6, 1836: Died during the Battle of the Alamo, when the Mexican army, led by General Santa Anna, overran the fort. His death, alongside other defenders, became a symbol of Texan independence and American heroism.
Did this man ever stop?
If you want the full run down…check out our recent podcast on this.
Documentary Dry Run
I mentioned previously that Jenn and I are working on branching out into documentaries.
At least we want to.
In the below video I talk a bit more about our topic of choice and what my first ‘dry run’ filming was like.
If you have any specific questions about how we’re tackling this documentary let me know!!
Scott and Jenn, loved this. Yes, I had a cap as a child. I used to run around in my backyard pretending I was a Frontiersman like Crockett. I even had a knife and rifle too. My mother built me a fort and everything back there. A few friends would come over and we would have a few Indians over for lunch. Lol! It was always "Pigs in a blanket" Remember that food?
As for the documentary. I can't wait. I will support anything you two do, in anyway I can. Let me know what I can do to help.