Davy Crockett
Davy Crockett by Robert E. Hollmann
Davy Crockett
By Robert E. Hollmann
Copyright 2012 by Robert E. Hollmann
Cover design by Eric Lindsey
Cover copyright by Park East Press and Untreed Reads Publishing
The author is hereby established as the sole holder of the copyright. Either the publisher (Untreed Reads) or author may enforce copyrights to the fullest extent.
Previously published in print, 2005.
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be resold, reproduced or transmitted by any means in any form or given away to other people without specific permission from the author and/or publisher. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your ebook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This title is a fictionalized version of real historical figures and events.
Other Titles in the Lone Star Legends Series and Untreed Reads Publishing
The Alamo
Jim Bowie
Juan Sequin
Susannah Dickinson
William Barrett Travis
Davy Crockett
By Robert E. Hollmann
Addie and Dylan
Two Great Grandchildren
I want to thank Jeri Gandy, Ann Ellison and the ladies of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, Presidents of Texas Chapter, for all their assistance and encouragement in the writing of this book. I want to thank Ben Ellison of Benjamin’s Photography for the photograph. Alicia Johnson has done a lot to promote the book. Tammie Sanchez has done a lot of work to get the book ready to publish. Thanks to my print publisher, John Lewis, for taking a chance on this project. I want to thank my daughter, Carrie, for her work in promoting this book. Addison and Dylan White, my grandchildren, were the inspiration for two of the characters in the book. As always, thanks to my daughters, Kristina and Kasey, for all they do. And to my son, Rob, who makes me proud. My wife, Katie, is always there for me, and I couldn’t do this without her encouragement and support. Thanks to these and to all who support me in my effort to take Texas history to the children of Texas.
Robert E. Hollmann
Odessa, Texas
December 2004
Be always sure you are right, then go ahead.
—Davy Crockett
Chapter One
“All right class, pay attention please.” Ms. Julianne Johnson, teacher of the fourth grade class at David Crockett Elementary School in Eden Prairie, Texas, tapped her ruler on her desk. “I have an assignment for you that will be due on Monday.”
A groan went up from the students seated in the classroom. Addie turned to her friends, Dylan and Braden, and rolled her eyes. She wanted to have fun this weekend, not do an assignment.
“Addie.” Ms. Johnson’s voice caused Addie to turn her head back toward the teacher. “Do you have something you want to tell the whole class?”
Addie looked down at her desk. “No, Ms. Johnson.”
“Very well.” Ms. Johnson walked in front of her desk and faced the class. “This month we celebrate Texas Independence Day. I think it would be good for us to learn something about the man that this school is named for. So by Monday, I want you to have a paper prepared that tells about the life of David Crockett. I will let you work in teams. On Monday you will present the paper to the class.”
Dylan put his head in his hands, and Braden twirled his pencil. They wanted to play ball this weekend. Now they would have to work on this assignment.
Ms. Johnson handed out some papers to the class. “This will give you an idea of how to write the paper. The group that writes the best paper and makes the best presentation will win a surprise.”
The bell ending the class rang as Addie took the paper from Ms. Johnson. She looked over the paper, then stuffed it in her backpack. She picked up her books and hurried after Dylan and Braden. She caught up with them as they walked down the hall.
“Hey, guys. Want to work on the paper together?”
Braden looked at Addie. “I don’t want to work on it at all.” He walked a little further, then turned to her. “But I guess we have to do it, so why not? What do you think, Dylan?”
“Sure. Got any ideas how we can find out some good information? If we have to do this, then we might as well try to win the surprise.”
“I have an idea,” Addie said. “I’ll get my mother to take us to the Alamo tomorrow. She’s going to San Antonio, and we can look around there while she does her shopping.”
Braden stopped walking. “What do you think we are going to find at the Alamo?”
Addie shook her head. “I don’t know. I’ve heard that there are ghosts there. Maybe we can find one and ask him about David Crockett.”
“I thought his name was Davy,” Dylan said.
Addie walked toward her mother’s car. “We can ask the ghost that too. I’ll see you in the morning,” she called over her shoulder.
Braden and Dylan watched her get into the car. Dylan turned to Braden. “Well, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow. Better get some rest if we are going to hunt for ghosts.”
* * *
“Now, children.” Addie’s mother leaned her head out of the open window of her car. “I will be back in a couple of hours. Don’t go anywhere else. I will pick you up right here.”
Addie waved at her mother. “Okay, Mom. We will be right here.”
The children watched the car drive away, then turned and walked toward the Alamo.
“What’s the plan?” Braden asked.
Addie shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. I thought we could look around. Maybe we can find something that will make our report the best.”
Dylan rolled his eyes. “You don’t know? We wasted a whole day coming here when you don’t have any plan except looking for ghosts. I don’t know why I listen to you, Addie.”
Addie stuck her tongue out at Dylan. “You listen to me because you don’t have a better plan. Well, let’s go inside and look around.”
The three friends entered the Alamo chapel and spent some time looking around. They walked around the grounds and wandered through the gift shop. They had not found anything to help them write their report so far. They were sitting on the grass next to an old cannon.
“Well, now we’re going to have to spend all day tomorrow writing our report with no new information.” Braden threw a pebble at a cup lying in the grass.
“Yes. Thanks for wasting our day, Addie,” Dylan said.
“What’s that?” Addie got up and walked over to an old building hidden by some trees. Braden and Dylan followed her.
“Just an old building. Doesn’t look like anybody’s been in it for a long time,” Braden said.
Addie pushed on the door and it slowly swung open. She started to walk in, but Dylan grabbed her arm.
“What are you doing? You can’t go in there. There’s no telling what’s in there.”
Addie pulled away from Dylan. “What’s wrong? Afraid? I thought you didn’t believe in ghosts. Well, you two can stay out here, but I’m going to see what’s inside. Who knows? It might be just what we’re looking for.”
Addie walked into the old building. Dylan and Braden looked at each other, then followed her in. The building was dark, but the light from the open door allowed them to see some of the room. Just as the friends cleared the door, it slammed shut behind them. They all jumped at the loud noise.
“Why did you shut the door?” Addie asked. “Now we can’t see anything.”
“I didn’t shut it,” Braden said.
“Me either.” Dylan turned around. “Let’s get out of here.”
Addie stared hard, trying to get her eyes to adjust to the darkness of the room.
“Just a minute,” she said. She walked a little further into the room and peered into a corner. “I thought I heard something.”
All three children listened, and soon they heard the sound of footsteps softly coming toward them. Soon they could make out a dark shape standing in front of them. The friends huddled together against the wall.
“Who’s there?” Addie asked.
The voice of the dark shape filled the small room. “My name’s David Crockett.”
Chapter Two
The three children stared in shocked silence at the dark figure. Finally Addie stammered, “Did you say David Crockett?”
The figure nodded. “That’s right. Who are you and what are you doing in here?”
Addie walked slowly toward the dark figure. Her eyes were adjusting to the darkness of the room. She saw a tall man dressed in a buckskin suit with a coonskin cap perched on his head. He leaned on a long rifle. Even in the dimly lit room, Addie could tell he had a kind face and a twinkle in his eye.
“My name is Addie.” She stuck out her hand. “These are my two friends, Dylan and Braden. We have to do a paper on you for school, and we came here to try and find some good information on your life.”
Crockett laughed softly as he took her hand. “You’re doing a story on my life for school. Don’t that beat all.”
Dylan walked over and stood by Addie. “Yes sir. Our school is named David Crockett Elementary School.”
Crockett laughed louder. “Named a school for me, did they? I guess they didn’t look up my school record.”
“Mr. Crockett.” Braden looked up at the tall man. “I always thought your name was Davy. But it seems like everybody calls you David. Which is it?”
“Well you see, my given name is David. I used that for a long time. But then when I started getting known in some parts and got elected to Congress, there was an actor who made up a character based on me called Nimrod Wildfire. It seems this Wildfire character did all sorts of amazing things: hunting bears, fighting Indians, taming animals. Why, it got so that people couldn’t tell the difference between him and me. They thought that David was too formal for such a man, so they started calling me Davy. You can call me what you want. I’ll answer to most anything.”
Addie looked at her hand that Crockett’s still held. “Are you a ghost? You don’t feel like a ghost.”
Crockett let go of Addie’s hand. “Well, Addie, I don’t reckon I’m actually a ghost. More like a spirit. I don’t haunt this place. I come back here from time to time and watch what’s going on. Mostly I come at night when there’s nobody here. I walk around and remember what happened here all those many years ago.”
“Could you tell us about yourself?” Dylan asked.
“You think folks would really like to know about me?”
All the children nodded.
“Well now, let’s see. I was born in Greene County, Tennessee, back in 1786. I had a pretty good time growing up. I played in the woods a lot and learned about animals and plants. I never had much school learning. I skipped school once and thought sure I would get a licking, so I ran away from home. I worked for a man driving cattle to Virginia. It was hard work, but I got to see a lot of nice country. When we got to Virginia I found several jobs. It was over two years before I got back to my family.”
“Gosh, Davy. Weren’t you afraid to be by yourself, no family or anything?” Braden asked.
“Yeah.” Dylan joined in. “I would hate to be away from my family for so long.”
Davy looked into the gloom as if seeing something from long ago. “Oh, I missed them, all right. But I was learning a lot too. Things about getting along with people that would help me later. I borrowed my employer’s gun and learned to shoot; I became a pretty good shot. Why, I even earned enough to buy my own rifle…and a horse. I started entering shooting contests. We would shoot at targets, and the best shot would win a quarter of beef. Why, some contests I won all four beef quarters. We ate real good in those days.”
Addie walked around the room. “How did you get into this room?”
“I have my secret way. I’ll show you if you like.”