Was David Crockett Ever Called "Davy" Crockett?

[Tanselman]

A recent post mentioned that a new book claimed David Crockett was never referred to as "Davy" in real life.... until Disney made a movie about him. While each new book, based on new research, moves us forward in knowledge, I don't believe any author writing about history ever gets all the facts right, even as he/she gets closer to the truth. Years ago, I photographed an original rifle made by Michael Sells who worked in Augusta, Backen County, Kentucky from 1835 until after 1870. Augusta is on the Ohio River east of Cincinnati. Sells made guns for his neighbors as well as Ohio River traffic, and a number of his rifles survive. This rifle is dated "1838" and has a great barrel inscription that appears [at least to me] to be a memorial to "Davy Crockett." Your comments on this fascinating rifle and what it may represent would be appreciated. Of course, it's not Davy's personal rifle, since Crockett died at the Alamo in March of 1836. But the gun was made January 24, 1838, less than two years after Crockett's death, which puts it in his general era, and used the shortened name "Davy."

Shelby Gallien











picture hosting

[WESTbury]

This rifle could very well have been intended as a memorial to Crockett. I'm sure that other memorials were made, written and perhaps other forms, as Crockett was quite well known. Sam Houston and others probably used the Alamo saga and the battle at San Jacinto to further the cause for Texas with memorials of some form.

Thanks for posting the photos.

Kent

[okawbow]

That’s really interesting to me. My place in West Tennessee is probably near Crocketts hunting ground. Part of the Obian river is within walking distance and there is a big creek bottom on my property. I’ll have to do a “Davy Crockett rifle some day.

[Pukka Bundook]

Whether David was called Davy I do not know, but in the book of the border rievers, 'The Steel Bonnets"  I was surprised by the amount of nick-names and abbreviated names in use in the 17th century and sooner.
Names we think of as 'modern" still, including Davie and jaimie, with various spellings.

That rifle looks a great piece, and very workmanlike, down to business no frills. I like it Shelby!

[JV Puleo]

I think nicknames were very common.

We don't actually know how the language was used in the 18th century because all we have to work with are written records. I think I'm justified in saying, since I read a lot of author's manuscripts, that people seldom write as they speak. Almost all authors feel they have to used rather stilted "formal" speech when they write...very few write as they speak and I doubt it was any different in the 18th century.

As far as nicknames are concerned...one of the best sources I've found "speech as it was spoken" are the proceedings of the Old Bailey, the famous London criminal court where the testimony of witnesses was taken down verbatim or nearly so. There are probably American court records that would work as well in that regard.

[Seth Isaacson]

Doing a quick search, January 1828 was the earliest newspaper article I found looking quickly. There are a bunch from the late 1820s and early 1830s referring to him by that name and plenty of other publications and what not that long pre-date Walt Disney:

[Chowmi]

Pardon me for saying, but I’m not entirely sure those two engraved names were by the same hand. 
The gunmaker’s name looks to be engraved more lightly and skillfully than the “Davy Crockett”. 
I’m not a great engraver, but that’s how it looks to me.

Norm

[WESTbury]

Doing a quick search, January 1828 was the earliest newspaper article I found looking quickly. There are a bunch from the late 1820s and early 1830s referring to him by that name and plenty of other publications and what not that long pre-date Walt Disney:

Seth,
You've earned your pay this week with this post!
Kent

[Seth Isaacson]

Doing a quick search, January 1828 was the earliest newspaper article I found looking quickly. There are a bunch from the late 1820s and early 1830s referring to him by that name and plenty of other publications and what not that long pre-date Walt Disney:

Seth,
You've earned your pay this week with this post!
Kent

 

[Jdbeck]

Love this!

Thank you!

[Avlrc]

"He will take your gun & stock it"   Was he a gunsmith?

[WESTbury]

"He will take your gun & stock it"   Was he a gunsmith?

Maybe Davy restocked Old Betsey on the way to Texas. 

[Jdbeck]

I’d doubt any “new” book casting a negative light in American Historical Patriots. The propaganda machine is ruthlessly trying to rewrite history.

[vtbuck223]

I saw newspaper articles referring to him as "Davy" as far back as 1829 and stopped looking...many in 1830. The newspaper articles even prior to the Alamo referring to him as "Davy Crockett" are so numerous that the author of the referenced book must have been referring to something else. Perhaps he was suggesting that he didn't refer to himself as "Davy" or some such thing. Interesting to read the articles...he really was a legend in his own time...thanks probably mostly to the media at that time...but to garner that much attention he still must have been a character.

[Seth Isaacson]

There is ample evidence he was referred to as "Davy Crockett" by the press in the time period and ever after, but that doesn't mean he liked the pet name. Theodore Roosevelt, for example, was widely referred to as Teddy by the press and many others up to today, but he hated that nickname and it wasn't used by those close to him. Crockett's memoirs do not refer to him as Davy, only David Crockett I believe.

[dadybear1]

I HAVE A 1906 PRINT OF CROCKETTS AUTO BIOGRAPHY, AND ITS ALL IN DAVID CROCKETT!!!!  LIKE( SOME POLITICIANS) CROCKETT NEVER THOUGHT THE BATTLE FOR TEXAS INDEPENDENCE WOULD END IN THE FINALE MASSACRE THAT OCCURED!!!  BUT--HE AND OTHER PATRIOTS GAVE THEIR LIVES(AND MADE THE OPPRESSING ARMY) PAY DEARLY FOR THEIR SERVICE---MY TAKE WAS "DAVEY" CROCKETT WAS A MORE ATTRACTIVE TITLE THAN "DAVID " CROCKETT!!!!

[WESTbury]

I HAVE A 1906 PRINT OF CROCKETTS AUTO BIOGRAPHY, AND ITS ALL IN DAVID CROCKETT!!!!  LIKE( SOME POLITICIANS) CROCKETT NEVER THOUGHT THE BATTLE FOR TEXAS INDEPENDENCE WOULD END IN THE FINALE MASSACRE THAT OCCURED!!!  BUT--HE AND OTHER PATRIOTS GAVE THEIR LIVES(AND MADE THE OPPRESSING ARMY) PAY DEARLY FOR THEIR SERVICE---MY TAKE WAS "DAVEY" CROCKETT WAS A MORE ATTRACTIVE TITLE THAN "DAVID " CROCKETT!!!!

I did not know Crockett wrote or dictated his auto-biography. When did he write it? Would love to get a copy.

[WESTbury]

I HAVE A 1906 PRINT OF CROCKETTS AUTO BIOGRAPHY, AND ITS ALL IN DAVID CROCKETT!!!!  LIKE( SOME POLITICIANS) CROCKETT NEVER THOUGHT THE BATTLE FOR TEXAS INDEPENDENCE WOULD END IN THE FINALE MASSACRE THAT OCCURED!!!  BUT--HE AND OTHER PATRIOTS GAVE THEIR LIVES(AND MADE THE OPPRESSING ARMY) PAY DEARLY FOR THEIR SERVICE---MY TAKE WAS "DAVEY" CROCKETT WAS A MORE ATTRACTIVE TITLE THAN "DAVID " CROCKETT!!!!

I did not know Crockett wrote or dictated his auto-biography. When did he write it? Would love to get a copy.

Found it at Amazon of course.
https://www.amazon.com/Narrative-Life-David-Crockett/dp/1774267683/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=249E29H92DXHT&keywords=DAVID+CROCKETT&qid=1690664068&s=books&sprefix=david+crockett%2Cstripbooks%2C115&sr=1-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

[Tanselman]

Crockett used ghost writers for all of his biographical publications. He acknowledged them in his lifetime (better than most of today's politicians and celebrities), reportedly worked with them to some extent, but mostly to make sure his image was portrayed to his liking... which didn't always mean honestly. If you read his "autobiography" keep in mind his purported diary kept at the Alamo was a total later fabrication. Modern critical writers help us better understand the real Crockett, what was hype, what was actually known about him (not as much as you might think), and why he was a unique person in our history. He was a strong advocate for the common man and was ahead of his time in some respects, but struggled to accomplish much of what he wanted to do because he didn't have the political abilities of his adversaries. But he had an engaging personality, an ability to promote himself and secure his own legend, and the common people loved him almost unconditionally.

Shelby Gallien

[dadybear1]

THERE WERE 2 BETSYS---OLD BETSY AND PRETTY BETSY...PRETTY BETSY WAS PRESENTED TO COL CROCKETT BY THE WHIGGS OF PHILEDELPHIA..  I BELIEVE THIS IS THE GUN DISPLAYEY AT THE ALAMO THAT APPEARS TO HAVE THE PATENT BREECH AND HALF STOCK W PERCUSSDION LOCK..  STORY WAS CROCKET LEFT HIS BEST RIFLES HOME AND RE OUTFITTED ARMS FOR TRIP TO TEXAS.  PRETTY BETSY (ON DISPLAY) WAS AQUIRED LATER TO PUT IN THE ALAMO MUSEUM.   BUT THEN I COULD BE WRONG!!!!!