The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-11-14
A Checkered Career.
Louis Glnbe-Democlat.


youth of IA years, who, although not
presenting the appearance of the ira
ditiOnal man with history" GER
tainly has one, if what the Globe
Democrat correspondent CLEANED con.
corning him is correct, and there is
some reason to believe it is.
The blind man said his name was
c. c. Crockett, that he was nephew |
of the heroic Tennessean who fell at |
the stOrming of the Alamo, and that
his father had been slain at the battle
of San JacintO, although the return of
the killed and wounded il that en-
gagement does not bear out the cor
rectnesS of the latter assertion. Crock
EFT states that he was born in the
RED Lands" of Eastern Texas in
1888, and after the death of his
father was adopted by an old man
named VIM. P. Taylor, who was en-
gagged in farming near the old Span
ish settlement Of NacOgdoches.
In 184S he took an OK team, and,
running away from home, reached
Shreveport, on Red river, where he
disposed Of the oxen and wagon and
took a steamboat for New Orleans,
then the Mecca of the Southwest.
The California fever breaking out, he
proceeded to San Francisco by way
of the isthmus of Panama. Upon ar
irving he was completely "buSted,"
and but for finding friends from Tex
as in Col. Tack Hays, the famous in.
dian fighter and ranger, and Captain
"Eph" Mclean, of Galveston, would
have Jared badly.
Upon being "staked" by his new
found friends, the wanderer started
to try his fortune in the mines Of
Northern California. When he ar
rived there he had but SIS left and
found everything selling at 81 a
pound. Buying 10 pounds of -four
and five pounds of bacon he found an
old prOspectOr with no provisions but
plenty of picks and shovels, and i'm
mediately went in with him. The
/ first weeks work nettAd them 81 900
and they were enabled to purchase
everything needed in the business.
The claim proved rich, and after
taking 81 1900 from it they sold out
for $4,000. His pardner going home
to Missouri, Crockett left for the
mines in Southern California and
"struck it rich" at the mining camp
Of Humbug, on the American river,
amasSng fortune of 5000 900 in a
few months; hut embarking in an
enterprise to conduct water from the
river to the "Yankee Bob" mine, a
dittance of q miles, he became, to
use his own words, dramatically bust
ed" After this he engaged in quartz
mining, but met with no great sue
cess.
The war coming on, he was filled
WIFI pau l'JNlNlliS CttINl 6IJCl fSiOSo lllC
plains to Texas, in cOmpeny with
Gen. A Inert Sidney johnson, Col.
Terry and others, for the purpose of
entering the Confederate army, which
he did, serving in ragged Pat" Gle
bOrn's division until the close of the
war, and being one Ofthe few surviy-
ors of the fatal field of Franklin.
Tenn, where his commander and the
flower of his division fell.
Upon the cessation of hOatilities
Crockett returned to the Pacific
slope ard secured employment with
the Suffer Creek Milling and Mining
Company as assayer and assistant SUI
perintendent. There he again amas
sed a snug sum of money, but, be-
coming seized with a great desire to
travel and see more OF the earth, he
resigned his position in 1870 and
started on a long trip.
In November of that year Crockett
left San Francisco for New York, and
from there took steamer for Liver
pool. He remained in the United
Kingdom for several months, visit
ing many points of historical inter.
est, and then sailed up the Mediter-
ranean, stopping at various points,
until ne finally landed in COnstanti-
nople. From there he Travelled through
the Holy Land, and visited many
places mentioned IN the Bible. He
then started for Egypt over the old
Mosaic trail. passing over many fa-
NOUS mountains, the first being Sinai,
1852 feet in height the second HOr,
upon which Aaron died, aud now
known to the Arabs by that name,
and Mount Pisgah.
Reaching the borders of the Red
sea, he stood upon the very spot-so
his veraciouS guide told him-where
Moses led the children of Israel
across. Passing the Red sea he trav-
eled through Egypt, seeing all the
pyramids, the Sphinx, CleOpatra's