Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-04-24
DAVID CR0CKETTS son,
An Interview with the sole Survivor
OF the Great Man Who Fell at
the Alamo.
The uoary -Headed Sage Induced to Review
the History OF His IIinstrious
Family.
Correspondence Of tho Gazette.

Correspondence OF tho Gazette.
DALLAS, TEX, April 22.-As the scribe
strolled into the st. James hotel last
night, he was accosted by the GENIAL and
accommodating clerk, Mr.. James, who
said: EDO you see that old man with
long, gray beard and broad-rimmed hat,
standing out there in the dnning-room?
That is Mr.. Il. p. Crockett"
"Any relation OF David Crockett2n in
quired the reporter
"Son, Is ALL
'Introduce him to me, want to talk
with him."
The old man, who has now spent his
three score and ten, with bent form and
totterng step came in TO the office, Said
Mr.. James, "Mr. Crockett, this is MIR.
, he Is n newspaper frlend.n
ais he2 Wen, am little afraid Of
them.n
After assuring the old gentleman, and
perfect gentleman he was, that report
ers were not hostile and had become civil
lied, and that his life was perfectly safe
in their presence, the only living son of
the noted adventurer ensconSed himself
down in chair and began talking.
"Mr. Crockett tell me something of
your famous family"
"Well, TO begin with, my grandfather
and mother came from Ireland and set
tied on the frontier Of Pennsylvania.
After the neighborhood became more
densely settled they moved to Jefferson
county, Tenn, which was then on the
rontier. Love for frontier life seemed
to be a distinguishing trait of the family.
My grandfather and mother were among
the first TO settle in Eastern Tennessee.
| They both remained there the remainder
OF their days, and II was in this county
my father was born in 1856, Just century
ago. II was long after that before Jeffer-
son county was organized. There were
great many Indians in the neighborhood
and they were hostile and for protection
the citizens organized q vigilance com
mittec and chose father as justice OF the
peace. This position then was one con-
sidered of much distinction, and father
held 1t for number Of years. He was
as proud of that Office then
as the president Is OF his now.
After the county was organized he en-
tered tho race for the legislature and was
elected for two successive terms. lie
then moved to Lawrence county, which
was In what was then known as the
Western congressional district of Ten
|
elected TO congress. During the cam
paign he rode on horseback throughout
the district, which comprised several
counties, and made stump speeches. In
the time Of his congressional career he
erected large mill on one OF the streams
near home. He had not money enough
to pay for 1t at the time, but expected TO
| pay for II from his salary. Soon after IL
was erected there came great flood In
! Tennessee, which entirely washed the
mill away and left father much poorer
man, financially, than he ever was. In
| his next race for congress the old Wing
party sprapg into existene and there WAS
! general change in political factions, and
he was defeated. At that time war was
raging on the Texas frontier with
the Mexicans, and he enlisted
In the service and came TO Texas.
He came all the way on horseback,
There were about fifteen men started
with him, but as they neared the ield OF
| conflict his companions began TO hear too
much Of the Mexicans ard Indians, and
they one By one forso0k him and returned
TO their homes, and when he reached
Texas be only had one companion. He
arrived in Texas In November, and fell at
the Alamo Oh the following March q,
1861
"What was there about your father that
brought him into such notoriety2"
81 don't know; father never knew
either. lie was always poor man, and
never had any aspirations after wealth.
He was more fond OF hunting and edyen-
ture than he was Of books; In fact, he
never read any books, but would fire.
quently read newspapers. He never went
! TO school but six months In
his lie. But whenever 1t was an
nounced that David Crockett was
to speak there was always large