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128 HISTORY OF TENNESSEE. challenge sent to Gen. Houston from Col. Irwin by the hand of Col. John Smith. of Missouri. This Houston refused to receive from Smith. The act of Houston was criticised by Gen. William White as being discour- teous to Col. Smith. A dispute arose which resulted in a challenge and duel. ‘Gen. White was severely but not fatally wounded. Col. David Crockett,* son of John Crockett, of Irish birth, was born at Limestone, on the Nollichucky River, in Washington County, Tenn., on August 17, 17806. After some youthful adventures, a little schooling and a third courtship, About 1808 he with his wife and two children moved to Lincoln County, Tenn., where in the two In 1810 or {811 he moved to Franklin County, and soon after the massacre at Fort His mother’s maiden name was Rebecca Hawkins. young Crockett married a beautiful Imish girl. following years he began to distinguish himself as a hunter. Mimms went as a volunteer to the Creek war, participating in most of the important battles until its close in 1815. Soon after the close of the war his wife died, leaving three children, and in a short time he married as his second wife the widow of a soldier, who had two children, and by whom he had three more. He subsequently removed to the country purchased of the Chickasaw Indians, in what is now Lawrence County, and became successively magistrate, colonel of militia, and member of the Legislature. Having lost his property, failed in business, and given up all to his creditors, he determined to go farther West, especially as game was becoming scare in the locality where he lived. Tn 1822 he removed to West Tennessee and settled in what is now Gibson County, but at that time Weakley County. “Here he engaged in his favorite sport, bear hunting, and thus supplied his family with an abundance of meat. He also secured a large quantity of peltry, which he exchanged for coffee, sugar, powder, lead and salt. He was now elected for a second term of the Legislature, serving during the years 1823-24, voting against Gen. Jackson for United States Senator. In 1825 he became a candidate for a seat in Congress against Col. Adam R. Alexander, then serving as the first representative to that body from West Tennessee. but was defeated by two votes. For the next two years he was engaged in the lumber trade and in bear hunting, killing in one season no less than 105 bears. But his speculation in the lumber He then became a candidate a second time for Congress and defeated Col. Alexander and Gen. William Arnold by a He acted with the ‘‘ Jackson party” during the administration of President Adams. but during his second term he voted trade was a total failure. majority of 2,748 votes. against the Indian bill, a favorite measure of President Jackson’s. In *From a manuscript in possession of the Tennessee Historical SocietyHISTORY OF TENNESSEE. 729 1830 he was a candidate for a third term in Congress, but owing. to his opposition to the administration party he was defeated by his opponent William Fitzgerald. Two years later, however, despite the efforts of the partisans of the administration, he defeated Mr. Fitzgerald by a majority of 202. He co-operated with the Whig party forming the recharterine of the United States Bank, and opposing the removal of the deposits. In the spring of 1834 Col. Crockett made a trip through the Northern States, visiting Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, Boston and other cities, and was everywhere received with marked attention, especially by the Whigs. He was presented in Philadelphia by the younger Whigs with a very fine rifled gun, a present he prized very highly, and which he subsequently bore with him in many a bear hunt, as well as during his campaigns in Texas. Retiring to Washington, where he remained until the close of Congress, he returned home, and was a candidate for re-election, Adam Huntsman being his opponent. Crockett was defeated, having not only Huntsman but the influence of Andrew Jackson and Gov. Carroll backed by the Union Bank at Jackson to contend against. Feeling that “Crockett’s occupation was gone” and being diseusted with the ways of scheming politicians, he determined to go to Texas. He made a parting address to his constituents, in which he reviewed his course in Congress and warned them against the policy of ‘‘the Govern- ment’? and the President’s disposition to nominate Mr. Van Buren as his successor. He also alluded to the unfair means used to defeat him in his late canvass, and closed by telling them that he was done with politics for the present, and that they might all go to h—l and. he would go to Texas. Taking leave of his wife and children, and shouldering his rifle “Betsy,” he started at once on the highway to ‘Texas, to a heroic death and to a fame as lasting as the memory of the bloody Alamo itself. He made his journey as rapidly as he could, and reached San Antonio in time to join the patriots before Santa Anna’s army, previous to the siege of the city. He was one of the six Americans who survived the assault upon the Alamo on March 6, 1836. The prisoners were taken before the Mexican chief, who gave orders for the massacre of the whole number. Col. Crockett, seeing their treachery, sprang like a tiger at his foes, when a number of swords were sheathed in his indomitable heart. His body, with others of the slain, was buried in a heap in the center of the Alamo. Thus ended the life of Col. David Crockett, the celebrated bear hunter of Tennessee, the eccentric congressman from the West and one of the heroes of the Alamo, whose fame is as immortal as history. On the 11th of September, 1777, was born Felix Grundy, the young-oe —_ nn ee rede eeeeeen oeee eee naeied an — —_ P< re FE ta ns A a ee eneniiiatecricimaiithatbine: mada Rec uae a Sle ES z cae 8 a n= eavemminaner omnia rae nmi ee ees ee ewer eet soa < ae eel Fae Toca eas ee cee : Peano ere Cae ea 5 Stages Le TTR SRE ae re OT komm 9 = - re ae Soy learn = pnt ponent SS = vel om =, Sse % aa no eg ; A RN e aie cael: - ey 7 pee aK A RR NEE IDC ane Tena RSE ERR rn ee Pak wee af avis Ht! "Poet t) : | ay if ua il Pear |! i 1 Wa CA A OB ii fey) it: nun } F } ‘a ly ‘ rely { £ | ae ea ac? tia Pearse 1A Rae ti na aoe aa ‘ 14 Lit RRR} \ a AG a i PP ERAGE || ( iW ij tte . ie H a UA i 1 I ; a - Sie, cae Se 0S poy eae Emde a ae = = a — a . eee igs at eons mee = # SN Se SE tel HISTORY OF TENNESSEE. Hugh Lawson White was the son of Gen. James White, one of the earliest pioneers of East Tennessee, and in many respects a remarkable man. Gen. White was born of Irish parentage, and spent the early part of his life in North Carolina, where in 1770 he married Mary Lawson. During the Revolutionary war he served as a soldier from that State, but at its close removed with his family to Fort Chissel, Va. In 1787 he immigrated to Knox County, Tenn., and in 1792 laid the foundation of the present city of Knoxville. He was a member of the Franklin con- vention in 1785; of the Territorial Assembly in 1794, and the Constitu- tional Convention of 1796. During the Creek war, although advanced in years, he served with distincton as brigadier-general of militia. Taken all in all he is one of the most conspicuous figures in the early history of East Tennessee. Hugh Lawson White was born October 30, 1773, and was conse- quently a lad of fourteen when with his father he came into Tennessee. His early life was spent in hardy toil, with very limited facilities for ob- taining even the rudiments of an education. Attheage of fifteen, however. by earnest effort, he had sufficiently advanced to take up the study of the ancient languages, which he did under the direction of Rey. Samuel Carrick, with some assistance from Judge Roane. His studies were soon in- terrupted by Indian hostilities, and he volunteered as a soldier under the leadership of John Sevier. In this campaign he distinguished himself, not only for bravery, but for strength and endurance. At the age of twenty he was appointed private secretary to Goy. Blount, with whom he remained until the close of his term of office. He then went to Phila- delphia where he took a course of study, after which he engaged in the study of law with James Hopkins of Lancaster, Penn. In 1796 he re- turned to Knoxville, and at once assumed a leading position at the bar. Five years later, at the age of twenty-eight, he was elected judge of the su- perior court, then the highest judicial tribunal inthe State. He resigned in 1807, and was elected to the State Senate. He was re-elected two years later, but did not serve the second term, as he was elected by the Legislature one of the judges of the supreme court. He continued in that capacity until December 31, 1814, when he again resigned. He had been elected president of the Bank of Tennessee in November, 1812, and from that time until July, 1827, he continued to direct the operations of that institution. In 1820, his health being impaired, he returned to his farm, but the country had need of his services, and he was not al- lowed to remain in seclusion. The next year he was appointed by Presi- dent Monroe one of the three commissioners to settle the claims under the treaty providing for the transfer of Florida from Spain to the UnitedJOHN BELLj i ; 4 | | A i | ea - - Mike TR ea TT Fe Ne ps