Show new N ow memorial M oria to david dav 1 d crocke croc Z 7 ac 0 T xa kt it ave I 1 i e N 4 F J v a A a V r I 1 by ELMO SCOTT WATSON davy crockett A Is one of the great heroes of texas it has often been commented upon that no suitable monument has ever been erected to his memory in the lone star state of course it Is true that the abamo Alamo stands as an imperishable monument to the manner in which he be died but the glory of that davy avy shares with others it Is true that the lone star state tas has honored the memory of big wife elizabeth crockett in a tall marble chaft which stands in the town of action texas this monument Is a striking piece of sculpture which preserves the story of a heroic wife and mother waiting tor for a hero husband who never returned when crockett went to texas to take part rt in the war of independence from mexico exico he left ills wife and children in tennessee until be could establish a home but before that was possible he died at the alamo news traveled slowly in those days and for months back in tennessee elizabeth crockett croekitt Croe kett was accustomed cus tomed to stand outside her cabin door with her hand shading her eyes looking into the west and waiting for davy that pose Is embodied in the figure of a woman which caps the shaft ehatt at action the new republic grateful to one of her heroic defenders made a large grant of land to crocketts widow she then went to texas where she died in 1800 at tile the age of 8 82 the monument to elizabeth crockett Croe kett was erected in 19 1922 in the same year the state of tennessee unveiled a monument to crockett near lawrence burg and now dow seven years later texas Is planning a r similar honor for him recently a bill was offered in the state legislature providing for the appropriation of with which to erect a monument to davy in the town that bears his big name dame crockett texas although texas calls davy crockett one of her heroes tennessee was the state which gave him film birth near jonesboro Jone tenn stands a simple stone atone slab on which Is engraved on this spot davy crockett was born aug IT 17 1786 davy Clock crockett ett was one of the most picturesque figures in all american history there have been beell many americans whose contribution to the building of our nation was much greater than his but it Is likely that he be will be remembered long after some of these others are forgotten for la in many mady ways lie ac curatelo cura tely symbolized the american frontier which stamped its character so indelibly upon the consciousness of this bis nation early in his youth crockett became noted even la in the backwoods of tennessee where good marksmanship and skill as a hunter were no novelty as a dead shot and a fearless bear hunter at the age of eighteen he learned his big letters while working as a plow hand band marrying harrying shortly afterwards he be moved west and when old hickory jackson led a force against the creek indians indiana davy went along he served with distinction in this war and came home something of a hero although he be himself confessed quite frankly that he be was acost to fits however his fame preceded him into the next frontier community into which he moved and there he be was appointed as magistrate in 1821 1 he became a candidate for the tennessee legislature not because he felt himself fit for such an office but mainly for the sport of making the race which was a brand fire new ne business to me years tears afterwards he wrote in ills autobiography of his entrance into politics as follows it now became necessary that I 1 should tell the people something about the government and an eternal sight of other things that I 1 knowel nothing about the first time he attempted to speak in public he confesses that he choked up but no one 8 stayed to hear what his opponent had bad to say when davy ended his brief speech with this remark im dry as a powder born and 1 I thinks its time tor for all of us to wet our whistles I 1 do e was not only elected by a large majority but was re reelected elected twice during his third term to in the legislature in 1824 4 a delegation came to him to ask him to run tor for congress at first davy refused but finally allowed himself to be forced into the race which ended in disaster for him and he was defeated two years later ho however w he made the race a again gain and this time rime was elected to congress during his campaign occurred the famous episode of the coonskin coon skin at one place he was preparing to stand treat for his supporters when lie he discovered that he be had neither cash nor credit but he did have his big rifle with him and making a hasty trip into the woods he be shot ahot and thinned a coon coon skins were then accepted in trade and when he flung the raw bide down on the counter the yankee landlord of the tavern was willing enough to take it in exchange for drinks for the crowd incidentally this yan kee who prided himself on his sharpness in matters of trade had often boasted that no one could get ahead of him davy watched where the th coonskin coon skin had been placed and while the landlord was busy he quietly pulled it from the pile of skins skills then he flung it down again de demanding mandin 9 another round of drinks it Is said that he used this same coonskin coon skin no less than ten times to the delight of his big friends and the satisfaction of their thirst davy says that his constituents reckoned any one who could git ahead of a yankee in a fair trade was the man for then them in congress so davy went to washington there thera to become within a short time the favorite wit of the national legislature but although davy made such a IW ba in the east he seems seema to have lost touch with the people at home they concluded that he be spent too many years in washington learned too much about congress matters and funny anymore according to one historian so the next time be ran for congress they snowed him under with their votes when the result was announced davy dary made hla big famous farewell address he 1 am going to texas and you e can a n g go 0 to h b 1 1 setting out on horseback he fell in with a shell game riverboat river boat gambler whom he persuaded to join him in helping the texans to light for liberty together they cut their way through the mexican lines encircling sun san antonio where were besieged a party of texans under travis bocham and bowie on march 6 1830 general santa anna the mexican leader launched his assault of men against the garr garrison I 1 s 0 n of the alamo twice the attack was beaten off but the third time it was successful after a short hand to hand band struggle only six of the remained ai alive I 1 ve one of them was davy crockett he stood behind a breastwork breast work constructed of th hodi bodies of dead texans in one hand he held a dripping bowle knife in the other the wreck of old betsy the rifle which philadelphia admirers had given him during ua 1118 trip through the past east davy lind had nt not been la II 11 te texa long enough to become acquainted with the character of the mexicans so when they promised to spare his life if he surrendered be made the take of trusting them he was le led d before santa anna who bo looked him over coolly then nodded to his bis officers fire swords were burled buried in the tennessee bear hut hunters ter a breast |