Timeline Description: David (Davy) Crockett was a frontiersman, soldier, and politician. He is most famous for his role in the Texas Revolution and the Battle of the Alamo. His larger-than-life persona has made him one of the country's biggest folk heroes. Crockett was nicknamed "Kind of the Wild Frontier."
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| August 17, 1786 | Crockett is born. Davy Crockett was born the fifth of nine children in Greene County, Tennessee to John and Rebecca (Hawkins). John fought in the American Revolutionary War and is credited for teaching Davy rifle and survival skills at an early age. |
| 1798 | Crockett is indentured. The Crockett family struggled financially and at the age of twelve, Davy was indentured to Jacob Siler to help pay the family debt. His primary job was tending cattle on a 400-mile trip between Tennessee and Virginia. |
| 1802 | Crockett again asked to work off family debt. One two different occasions, Crockett is asked to work of family debt. The second man was John Canady, with whom Crockett stayed employed for the next four years. |
| August 16, 1806 | Crockett marries. Crockett marries Polly Finley, despite initially proposing to John Canady's daughter who refused him. Davy and Polly have three children, one of which became a U.S. Congressman. |
| March 1815 | Polly dies. Polly dies leaving Crockett to care for his young children. He enlists the help of his brother and sister-in-law, who agree to help raise the children. |
| 1815 | Crockett remarries. Crockett's brother and sister-in-law did not need to help with the children for long, as Davy marries Elizabeth Patton shortly after his first wife's death. Crockett has three more children with Elizabeth, who also brings two children from a previous relationship to the marriage. |
| September 20, 1813 | Crockett enlists in the military. Crockett enlists as a scout with Francis Jones' Company of Mounted Rifleman during the Creek War. He serves until December 24, 1813. |
| September 28, 1814 | Crockett re-enlists. Crockett re-enlists as a Third Sergeant with the Tennessee Mounted Gunman to help remove British forces from Florida. He returns home in December. |
| November 25, 1817 | Crockett enters politics. After moving his family to Lawrence County, Crockett enters politics and is appointed County Justice of the Peace. |
| 1821 | Crockett is elected to Tennessee General Assembly. Crockett runs successfully for a seat in the Tennessee General Assembly, representing Lawrence and Hickman counties. He rapidly becomes known for his strong anecdotal oratory skills. |
| 1823 | Crockett moves to Carroll County and is again elected to Tennessee General Assembly. After moving to Carroll County, Crockett successfully runs for a seat in the Tennessee General Assembly, representing the counties of Carroll, Humphreys, Perry, Henderson, and Madison. He serves until November of 1824 and is considered a champion of farmers' rights. |
| March 4, 1827 | Crockett successfully runs for seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. After running unsuccessfully in 1825, Crockett wins a set in the U.S. House of Representatives by defeating incumbent Adam Rankin Alexander. Crockett serves until March 3, 1829. |
| March 4, 1829 | Crockett successfully runs for re-elections. Crockett is again elected to the House of Representatives, once again defeating Rankin. Crockett serves until March 3, 1831. |
| 1831 | Crockett loses re-election campaign. Crockett loses his re-election campaign to William Fitzgerald. Crockett beats him in 1833, however, serving in the House of Representatives until 1835. He is then defeated by Adam Huntsman. |
| 1834 | Crockett publishes a book. Crockett publishes the book A Narrative of the Life of David Crockett, Written by Himself and spends time promoting the book across the East Coast. |
| November 1, 1835 | Crockett leaves for Texas. Crockett leaves for Texas after Van Buren is elected President. Crockett speaks across the East Coast on the subject of Texan Independence before arriving in Texas in January, 1836. |
| February 23, 1836 | Crockett arrives at the Alamo. Crockett arrives at the Alamo to defend it against advancing Mexican troops. On February 25, Mexican troops cross the San Antonio River and fighting begins. |
| March 6, 1836 | Crockett is killed. Crockett is killed fighting in the final Battle of the Alamo. All American defenders were killed in the battle. Crockett was 49 years old. |
| 1950s | The legend of Davy Crockett is born. Walt Disney begins the immortalization of Davy Crockett with a television show. Several additional shows and movies are created, turning Crockett into one of the country's greatest folk heroes. |