There’s a great blog post over at the Asheville and Buncombe County history blog about the connection of famous frontiersman Davy Crockett to Buncombe County. The Crockett history is timely now because of the recent death of Fess Parker, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Crockett in Walt Disney’s “Davy Crockett” television series of the 1950s.
From the local history blog:
The Swannanoa Valley was the home of Robert Patton, father of Elizabeth Patton, the second wife of David Crockett (portrait left). Patton was a large landowner in the highlands above the Catawba River in what was at the time Burke County. Crockett visited this home on several occasions and was well known in Swannanoa and the surrounding area. By his own account, Crockett did well in his second marriage, which came in 1816. Elizabeth was “a good industrious women,” wrote Crockett, “and owned a snug little farm [in Tennessee] and lived quite comfortable.” She had Patton as both her maiden name and her married name from her first marriage. She had married her first cousin James, the son of Elijah Patton, a brother to Robert.
Crockett visited the Patton home in Swannanoa Valley on several occasions during their marriage. One story tells that a large oak called “the Target Tree” stood in front of the home. Robert Patton and Crockett, his marksman son-in-law, reportedly held shooting matches there. Most historians concur that David and Elizabeth married in Bean’s Creek, Tennessee, where he pursued her as a suitor.
Go to the Asheville and Buncombe County history blog and read the entire, detailed post.
1 Comment
Thanks for posting this interesting article and link to this blog.