Antoine Desarure de Saussure Peronette de Crocketagne

Not the father of Colonel James Crockett or Capt. Joseph Louis Crockett

The alleged French origins of the Crockett family in America

French Crockett ancestry

A well-known theory of the origin of the Crockett family (or families) in America makes them descendants of Antoine Desasure de Croquetagne, a French Huguenot. According to this theory, "Antoine Desasure Perronett de Crocketagne" was born in 1643 in Montauban. Described as "one of the most handsome young men in the south of France", he drew the personal attention of king Louis XIV who placed him second in command of the household guards. He met his future wife "the beautiful Louise de Saix" among the nobility. Antoine started working as a commercial agent in the wine and salt trade of Southern France for the Maury family, and under their influence converted to the Protestant faith.[1] In 1672, (several years before the Edict of Nantes was revoked) Antoine, with his wife and infant son, Gabriel, fled across the English Channel and remained in England for a short time, but shortly fled to Ireland.[1] There, they changed their name from "de Crocketagne" to Crockett, either to escape their French identity or because their name was too difficult to pronounce.

This version of the Crockett ancestry appears widely accepted: it is found in numerous online genealogies, including Roglo and Rootsweb and in Wikipedia. It is reported in many books, from recent biographies of the famous Davy Crockett to compilations printed by Daughters of Texas Revolution and the Huguenot Society.[2] Antoine Desasure de Crocketagne and his family have their own Find A Grave memorials (strictly virtual memorials with no known place of burial).

Why is this French theory dubious?

DNA analysis: DNA research does not seem to support the theory of the French origin of Crocketts. The results also show that not all Crocketts are related, contradicting the Crocketagne theory which makes all Crocketts descentants of the Croquetagnes. See a discussion at Rootsweb (possibly now offline) or FamilyTreeDNA. < link >:

As of April 18, 2023, there are six emerging family lines and fifteen matchless participants. At this point in time, there is inadequate documentation to prove that Antoine de Crocketagne ever existed. Many, if not all, Crockett's would like to claim him as an ancestor but for anyone to do so with inadequate documentation is pure and imaginative speculation. Our DNA project has proven that many of the Crockett lines French and Armstrong connected in their book "Notable Southern Families - The Crockett Family" are unrelated by blood. I was contacted by a French genealogist years ago who said that no records for Antoine de Crocketagne had ever been found. She also said that de Crocketagne is not and has never been a French surname.”

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https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/103331733/antoine-de_saussure_p...

There has been some debate as to whether Antoine ever existed. Here's a case for his reality:

A few things to consider:

1) The Sons of the American Revolution uses this line to validate SAR membership:

U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970

Name: Antoine Crockett Birth Date: 10 Jul 1643 Birth Place: France SAR Membership78085 Role Ancestor'Application Date19 Feb 1954 Spouse: Louise De Saix Children: James Crockett

So...it appears the SAR believes Antoine existed.

And a note on Find-a-Grave states: 'Marquis de Lafayette, during the American Revolution, was impressed by the fact that so many of the American leaders were of Huguenot descent."

2) Descendants of Anne (Crockett) Long from the families of the Long Cane Massacre trace back to these Irish settlers

3) In "Proceedings of the Huguenot Society of Pennsylvania Volume XXVII published in 1955 (FHL 974.8 C4h) is found on page 84 Lafayette's cousin, David Crockett the Huguenot by Henry W. Shoemaker, Litt.D (Historian of The Huguenot Society of Pennsylvania) It says that Among his (Davy Crockett) kinsmen in ancestral Gothic France were his cousins, the Marquis de Lafayette, and the Swiss Scientist, Horace Benedite de Saussure, in Pennsylvania being Sausser and Saucer, one of the first hardy Alpines to climb Mount Blanc. In World War I one of Pennsylvania's Heroes in France was Colonel Samuel W. Fleming whose Mother was a Sausser or Saucer. Tracing David Crockett's ancestry back five generations we find his Great-Great Grandfather to have been David de Crocketagne of Languedoc, who married the beautiful young noblewoman Beatrix Albert de Saqussure. Their Son was the more celebrated Jean Antoine Saussure de Crocketagne, a noted sports man and soldier known as the 'handsomest young man in Southern Franc'. As aide to a military Mission to King Louis XIV, the Grand Monarch became fascinated by the personal charm and skill at arms of the young guardsman and induced him to remain in Paris, giving him a commission in his household troop at the age of twenty-one in which were a group of noble ofoficers; he rose to the second in command. The handsome, swarthy youth, with his tiny, black mustache became a favorite with the young ladies of the Court at Versailles, and he eventually married the beautiful Countess Eleanor de Sais, a name in Pennsylvania that has become Seeks and Six. Dietrich Six commanded Six's Fort in a pivetal part of the Blue Mountains in 1757 and is recalled as a renowned Indian fighter. The Countess Adealaide de Saix, the Cousin of Countess Eleanor became the Mother of the famed Patriot de Lafayette, Jean Antoine Saussure de Crocketagne after his marriage desired to increase his fortunes and resigned his commission, much to King Louis' disappointment .... At the end of the article on page 87 is given the Bibliography Volume V, Notable Southern Families (The CRockett Family and Connecting Lines by Janie Preston Collup French ...) Les Vieilles Familles du Languedoc by Riviere, Toulouse, 1863* Extinct British Animals by J. E. Harting, London, 1892 La Bete de Gevaudan by Elie Berthet, 1860 Les Familles Gardiennes Du Grand Monarque.** Travels with a Donkey in the cevennes by R. L. Stevenson Le Chasseur francais 1929-1930 The Huguenot Settglements in Ireland by C. L. Lee. The High Alps by H. B. de Saussure. Lives of David Crockett French Protestant Exiles by Rev. D. C. Agnew, London, 1871 Dr. W. H. Eagle's Genealogies - Harrisburg 1900 Memoirs of Colonel Thomas Boyd Crockett (Then comes two lines of) ANCESTRY David - Jean- David- Jean- David, the Pathfinder de Saussure de Saix Stewart Hawkins Finley et al

4) The Crockett Family and Connecting lines, by Janie Preston Collup French & Zella Armstrong Ireland and Virginia

Notable Southern Families: The Crockett Family and Connecting lines, by Janie Preston Collup French & Zella Armstrong

Starts with Antoines parents and comes on down.

So clearly there are people who definitely believe these ancestors were real and have written about them.

Someone had stated they didn't believe the Crocketts came from France to Ireland - see the book cover attached under the Media tab