author
Davy Crockett
1786–1836
A larger-than-life frontiersman, soldier, and politician, he helped turn his own rough-and-ready adventures into American legend. His story stretches from the Tennessee frontier to Congress and finally to the Alamo, where his death fixed him in popular memory.
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About the author
Born in Tennessee in 1786, Davy Crockett grew up in a hard frontier world and became known for his skill as a hunter, scout, and storyteller. Long before he became a national legend, he had already built a reputation as a backwoods original whose humor and plain speech made him stand out.
Crockett served in the Tennessee militia, including during the Creek War, and later entered politics. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee, where he gained attention for his independent streak and willingness to oppose policies he thought were wrong, even when that put him at odds with powerful figures of his day.
After losing reelection, he went to Texas in the mid-1830s and joined the defenders at the Alamo. He died there in 1836, and the combination of his real life and the stories told about him turned him into one of the best-known folk heroes in American history.