Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-07-12
"MUNcHAUsEN OF THE WEST"
How Davy Crockett, American Pioneer
Acquired His Famous Nickname.

FtO" SdNy SESSN0ket
Acquired His Famous Nickname.
Davy Crockett, one Of the most pic
turesque characters in the early politi-
cal history Of this republic, was called
the "Munchausen Of the West" for the
reason that he was somewhat famous
for his eccentricities, but with a rare
fund of humor, much common sense
and addicted not infrequently to the
telling Of improbable stories.
Baron Karl Munchausen was Ger
man soldier in the Russian service
against the Turks. A collection Of
stories ascribed to him, written by r.
e Raspe. was published in England In
1885 as Baron Munchausen's Nara
tive Of His Marvellous Travels and
Campaigns in Russia" since which
time his name is proverbially associat-
ed with absurdly exaggerated stories
Of adventures For this same habit OF
Crocketts he has received his famous
nickname.
Crockett was the uneducated SON OF
an Irish immigrant, who. after fighting
in the Revolution, had settled in the
Tennessee forests and there opened q
backwoods tavern not far from Knox
VILE. During his early years "Davy"
worked as teamster, hatter's appren-
tice, trapper and huntsman. When he
was Is he went home, found his father
deep In debt and toiled for another
year or two to wipe out every dollar OF
the indebtedness. Then he went to
school for a few months, but had bare
ly learned some of his letters when the
"call of the wild" started him out In
search Of new adventures.
BY 1912 he had acquired fame as one
of the most daring huntsmen and In
dian fighters in the southwest. SO
when he arose to address his fellow
pioneers he was listened to with eager
attention. In a few rough, forceful
sentences this backwoodsman. VINO
could scarcely write his own name. set
clearly before his audience their duty
to their country. His speech, more than
any other mans eloquence, is said to
have carried the victory. He conclud'
ed with his immortal advice to the
wayering element Of the frontiersmen:
BE sure you're right, then go ahead"
The simple maxim spread like wildfire
through the southwest. 1t was the
sort of talk rough men could UNDER
stand; an axiom to live up to. 1t was
on the lips Of hundreds who fastened
to enlist in the War Of 1872.
Davy Crockett's whole life was In
sense wildly romantic, and yet there
was a fine conservative balance In his
makeup which won for him the conf
dence of all men. He was probably as
great a hunter as Daniel Boone, but ne
had a broader vision than the latter
and was more ambitious.
Two years after the war he lived In
quiet contentment on his frontier
farm. Then he began to mix up IN
politics, first by being appointed mag
istrate and then squire. In the latter
position, as he was obliged to write
out his warrants, he took to the study
of writing, for he could just barely
write his name at this time. In
short time he was able not only to
write these warrants, but also to keep
his own record books. This led later
to his announcing himself as q candi-
date for the legislature.
When he plunged into the campaign
his methods were so unique that ne
easily defeated his opponent. He had
barbecues and shooting parties and
dancing parties, and his witty speeches
at these events became the talk OF the
state. He would travel on horseback
with a big twist" of tobacco In q
pouch on one side of him and a big
flask Of whisky in a pouch on the 9TH
er side. II he met a man on the road
he offered him a drink. AS all the
backwoodsmen chewed tobacco the
man usually had to throw away the
chew before he took the drink. After
the drink Crockett offered the man
chew from his twist" Of tobacco. $50
always left a man as good as
found him" was Crockett's naive way
Of putting it.
After he was defeated for a fourth
term in the legislature and took again
to the wild Is when Crockett develop
ed his greatest faculty for story tell
ing. During his hunts he averaged a
bear a day, and would almost meet
them in a hand-to-hand encounter.
These stories as told by him Of his en-
counters were hair-raising and almost
blood -curdling. 1t is stated that dur
ing his first fall and winters hunt
Crockett killed los bears.
Finally growing tired Of this wild
life, Crockett returned home and was
elected to congress when he was Al
years of age, in 1927. This had been
his ambition for number OF years.
With this election "Davy" became q
national figure. When he reached the
national capital In his crude dress ne
attracted no end Of attention. The
most absurd stories were told OF his
prowess with gun and knife, and there
was scarcely anything said Of him too
wildly improbable to believe. The ad-
ventures of the German officer. from
whom he obtained his nickname, were
not duplicated in those told by and Of
the Munchausen Of the West. "Davy
Crockett Almanacs' and lives Of "Col-
onel Davy Crockett" were sold broad
cast, and he was credited with sayings
of which he never dreamed.
For two terms Crockett served In
congress, and was reelected for the
third. Then he decided upon visit
to the north. and when he started on
his famous tour he was probably the
most-talked-of man in the country,
and he was lionized as have been but
few men.
This tour was begun on April rs.
1884, from Washington, Baltimore be-
ing the first step, then Philadelphia.
New York, Boston and then Lowell.
and upon his return he went as far as
and then west to Pitts
=.