Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-11-23

the youngest, but one, of the six sons ofy
John Crockett, who by turns was farmer
miller and tavern keeper. This John
Crockett was the son of an emigrant from
the north of ireland. who, after fighting
with noted courage through the Reyolu7
tionary War, settled in East Tennessee
There he and his wife were murdered bv
the Creek Indians; one of their sons was
wounded; and another was carried into
captivity, and remained prisoner with
the Indians for seventeen years. John
Crockett escaped, grew up and in due time
became the father of the famous David |
When the boy was seven years old his
father met with misfortune which re-
duced him to utter poverty. A freshet
swept off mill in which he had investsa
the savings of a lifetime. 1t was carried
off bodily, leaving not a wreck behind
The unfortunate proprietor then removed
to another county, and opened small
tavern not far from the present city of
Knoxville.
1t happened one evening, when David
was twelve years of age, that an old
Dutchman, drover, put up at his fathers
tavern, having with him drove of cattle.
To this Dutchman John Crockett hired his
son, as drover's boy, with the understand
ing that he was to help drive the cattle as
far as Richmond, and then return AWAY
he went, and was soon in high favor with.
the Dutchman, from whom he learned
those Dutch anecdotes and the brogue he
afterwards employed with so much effect.
He liked his master well enough, but after
travelling for some weeks with the cattle
he became homesick, ran away, Joined a
wagner bound for East Tennessee, -
reached home again.
7 The next Winter his father seh
school for the first time in his lifetaxs Z
before he had been to school one week, NE
had fight with one Of the scholars, in
which he gained the victory, and beat his
antagonist so severely that he dared not
show himself in school again. So he
played truant for several days; but dis
covering that his father had found him
out, he thought it prudent to beat re-
treat, and hired himself to another drover
who was going to Virginia. Many were
his adventures. His employer, after i'll
treating him in various ways, turned him
adrift, hundreds of miles from home with
only four dollars. Then he joined a
wagner once more and soon found him.
self in Baltimore, where fol, the first time
in his life, he saw ship.
As he stood on the deck, gazing at the
ship with open eyes and mouth, bewilder.
ed at the sight, one of the sailors Gccosted
him and asked him if he would like to %
to Liverpool Forgetting his engagemeni
with the WAGNER. he joyfully consented
and ran off to the wagon to get his clothes
although ten minutes before he did not
know that there was such thing as a ship
in the world. The wagner positively re
fused to let him 90 Watching his chance
however, he bundled up his clothes anc
started for the wharf; but it so chance
that in turning the corner of a erowde,
street, he came full upon his master, who
collared him and brought him back.
Leaving his wagner soon after, n
started penniless 10 work his way home
First he worked awhile as a laborer, and
with the money thus earned, he Travelled
few miles toward Tennessee. When hi
money was gone, he would stop and wor
again for the first farmer who wanted him
Once he bound himsefto a halter, for fou
years, and worked for him few month,
until the halter failed, and he was homeless
once more. At length, after two years alb
sence, one winter evening he entered hi
fathers tavern with his bundle, and aske
permission to sit down and rest. No on
knew him. His father, a somewhat infiru
old man was waiting upon his guests b.
was also at work about the house Fl
remained silent for an hour, when suppe
being ready, he was asked to come to til
table, where light falling upon his face
his sister recognized him. The truant ha
a joyful welcome, and he kept the famii
late relating his adventures.
] He now set to work in earnest to assis
his father, to whom he had not given niue
help or comfort hitherto. BY six month
hard work he paid off one of his father
debts, which had caused the old man niue
anxiety. Then be worked six months nor
to cancel a note of thirty dollars which h
father had given, and brought it to him q
a present. Next he went to work for sur
dry other months, until he had supple
himself with decent clothes. He was nov
nearly thirty years of age, and being niue
mortified with his inability to read @
write, he made bargain with a Quake
schoolmaster, agreeing to work two days @
the Quakers farm for every three that h
attended school. He picked up knowled-
rapidly, and, after six months of this a.
rangement, he could read, write and ciphe
sufficiently for the ordinary purposes Of Iii
on the frontier.
The creek war in 1913 summoned ii
yeomen of Tennessee to arms under Ger
jackson. No young man of them all wa
prompter to take the field than Dav.
Crockett He was in most of the principa
engagements under Gen. jackson, and
he ever obtained leave of absence he soc
tired of the monotony Of home aud was q
again for the army. He was the life o
the camp. His merriment, his Dutch an
ecdotes, his wonderful shooting, his fort
tude and courage, made him universa
/ favorite.
The war over, ne removed his it'll
family one hundred miles to the west an
settled in the midst of a wilderness. fort,
miles distant from the nearest settlement
He built his cabin, dug his well, cleared
his corn field, and lived the life of pioneer
in its perfection. His skill and COURAGE
in hunting the deer, the panther and the
bear were wonderful indeed.
Years passed on. The country flS1
up with settlers. The fame of Davis
Crockett as hunter, story teller and cen,
/ eral GOOD fellow snread far and uida -