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The beginning of David Crockett’s story really goes back across the Atlantic Ocean to France during the 1600's and to the Huguenots nobleman Antojne Desasure Perronette de Crocketagne. His marriage to the beautiful Louise de Saixwould later provide a distant family relationship to one of the key French figures of the American Revolution, the Marquis de Lafayette. Hatred for all heretics (Huguenots) however, forced the family to flee in 1672 across the English Channel (old Solon Channel) where they remained in England for a short time. Due to prejudice, it was necessary to flee to Ireland and because they were eager to lose their French identity the family changed their name to CROCKETT!  (Crockett Family Name), 

The Crockett name becomes more evident to us about ninety years later when David's grandfather, also named David, inscribed his name to the Lincoli1~ ton, North Carolina courthouse records in 1771. Like the families of so many Americans, the Revolution of Crockett's family had joined in with the western migration to the Appalachian mountain region, and in 1775, would actually reach the northeastern portion of what we now call Tennessee. However, the persistent probing by whites into this fertile wilderness ignited hostilities with the different Indian nations who were being aided by the British. This occurred as the American Revolution was building momentum. By 1777, the frontier war- fare in Kentucky and Tennessee was at an all time high and many of the small settlements were continually besieged. In the spring of the year known as the "terrible sevens," an Indian war party killed Crockett's grandparents.

"By the Creeks, my grandfather and grand- mother Crockett was both murdered, in their own homes, and on the very spot of ground where Rogersville, in Hawkins County, now stands. At the same time, the Indians wounded Joseph Crockett, a brother to my father, by a ball, which broke his arm; and took James a prisoner, who was still a younger brother than Joseph, and who, from natural defects was less able to make his escape, as he was both deaf and dumb. He remained with them for seventeen years and nine months, when he was discovered and recollected by my father and his eldest brother, William Crockett; and was purchased by them from an Indian trader at a price which I do not now remember; but so it was, that he was delivered up to them, and they returned him to his relatives”.

The tragedy that befell the Crockett homestead was symbolic of what was happening all over the beautiful, but deadly wilderness. Less than 150 miles from the site of the Crockett massacre, during that same year of 1777, Daniel Boone was severely injured during an Indian raid on Boonesborough and George Rogers Clark was desperately trying to put together an expedition force to relieve the embattled settlers in Kentucky and Tennessee.3 David's father, John, not only survived the uprisings, but was one of Isaac Shelby's rangers and later fought with hundreds of "Overmountain Men" to defeat the Tories and British at the battle of Kings Mountain in 1780.

"I have an imperfect recollection of the part, which I have understood my father took in the revolutionary war. I personally know nothing about it, for it happened to be a little before my day; but from himself, and many others who were well acquainted with its troubles and afflictions, I have learned that he was a soldier in the revolutionary war, and took part in that bloody struggle. He fought, according to my information in the battle at Kings Mountain against the British and Tories, and in some other engagements”.

(Courtesy University of Tennessee Library, Special Collections)

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