United States History - Western, Plains & Rocky Mountain Region, United States History - Southern Region, United States History - 19th Century - General & Miscellaneous, Folklore & Mythology, United States History - 19th Century - Westward Migration & Dev

The Frontiersman

Name: The Frontiersman
Author: Mark Derr
ISBN: 9780688096564

by Mark Derr

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Overview

Probably no figure in American history has been so frequently interpreted, reinterpreted, and misinterpreted as Davy Crockett, most notably as the flawless King of the Wild Frontier in the Disney TV series of the 1950s. Amazingly enough, until this biography by Mark Derr, no one has sifted through the surviving historical documents to find out the truth about a man who, for over a century and a half, has been one of the most enduring of American symbols. Lionized by his admirers for his humor and eccentricities and condemned by his detractors as a drunkard, gambler, womanizer, and illiterate, Crockett galvanized opinion from the moment he entered public life. Great bear hunter, controversial politician, putative hero of the Alamo, Crockett was, in fact, the quintessential product of the age of the Common Man and among the most famous Americans of the late 1820s and early 1830s. Born into a relatively poor family, forced at the age of twelve to begin working as a teamster, Crockett married at nineteen and became a tenant farmer in his native Tennessee. After serving without great distinction in the state militia during the War of 1812 and following the death of his first wife, he remarried, this time to Elizabeth Patton, a widow whose means and business acumen provided him with the financial resources and family connections to enter public life. Crockett's rough grammar and amusing anecdotes brought him victories in elections and notoriety in the press. Sent to Congress in 1827, three years later he broke ranks with the followers of Andrew Jackson over their failure to enact land reforms and their program to remove the Indians living east of the Mississippi. Freakishly beaten for reelection at the height of his national fame, he told his constituents, "You can go to Hell, and I'll go to Texas." Author Mark Derr presents the consequences of the fateful decision and offers his own resolution to the controversy that has surrounded Crockett's final moments at the Al

Now in paperback, here is a definitive biography of an American hero. From Walt Disney's "King of the Wild Frontier" to the lying drunkard portrayed by revisionist historians, Davy Crockett has been interpreted and misinterpreted for more than a century. Mark Derr sifts through the historical documents to present the truth about the man and the myth.

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Editorials

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

The Disney TV series on Davy Crockett created a cultural phenomenon in the 1950s. Later, historians denied that heroic image, calling Crockett a drunkard and liar. Derr ( Some Kind of Paradise ) deftly sorts fact and myth in this definitive biography of the original ``common man'' who came to embody the frontier spirit. He depicts Crockett as a westward-moving farmer dependent on his second wife's money and managerial skills. Derr traces Crockett's career in politics in the Tennessee legislature and in Congress, giving a lively portrait of state and national politics between 1825 and 1845. Crockett's autobiography, ghostwritten by fellow-Congressman Thomas Chilton, was a bestseller that added to his fame and notoriety. His death at age 50 in 1836 at the Alamo gave rise to further legends. History buffs will enjoy meeting the real Davy Crockett. Photos. (Aug.)

Library Journal

Portrayed by Disney as the ``king of the wild frontier,'' the inspiration of a cultural phenomenon, Davy Crockett is the apotheosis of Western heroes. However, most of what is known about him is mythical, not factual. Legends portray him as a hunter, backwoodsman, and narrator of outrageous speeches and tales. In fact, during his lifetime his enemies accused him of drunkenness, corruption, adultery, and gambling. Even the events surrounding his death have been widely disputed. Derr ( Some Kind of Paradise , LJ 9/15/89) has examined various historical documents in order to locate the real man behind the legends. He portrays a poor farmer who spent most of his life away from his home, involved in politics. An outspoken Congressman, Crockett gained the disfavor of President Jackson with his shifting political allegiance. Derr untangles the web surrounding David Crockett in this informative and entertaining work.-- Terri P. Summey, Emporia State Univ. Lib., Kan.

Denise Perry Donavin

It seems incredible that anyone could make the hunting, fighting, and politicking career of David Crockett dull; but Derr manages. In his earnest attempts to write a serious portrait, untainted by the myths so merrily propagated by Disney and others, Derr often fails to share the personality of his character. A few good examples could easily take the place of descriptions such as "His trademark style was an unstructured blend of outlandish boasts, amusing anecdotes, and vitriolic attacks, blended with mockery." Still, some samples of Crockett's wit are shared, and there is a fount of information here about Crockett's family, enemies, and compatriots in war and Congress. Particularly interesting is the account of how political foes and publishers created and perpetuated the image of Crockett as a "backwoods superman."