Profile of the Day: Davy Crockett
Are you related to American folk hero Davy Crockett? On this day in 1786, the famous frontiersman was born.
Image: Davy Crockett / Library of Congress
Crockett was born on August 17, 1786 to John M. Crockett and Rebecca Sullivan Crockett. He learned to shoot at the age of 8 and gained a reputation for hunting and story telling. In 1826, he was elected to Congress and served two terms before leaving politics to join the Texas Revolution. He was killed at the Battle of the Alamo on March 6, 1836.
He became famous during his lifetime for his larger-than-life exploits which were popularized by stage plays and almanacs. His folk hero status continued to grow after his death through many film and television adaptations of his life on the frontier.
Explore Davy Crockett’s family tree and share how you’re related to the “King of the Wild Frontier.”