Volume 38 Issue 3 Be always sure you are right, then April 2020 Go Ahead! ND KIN OF DAVID CROCKETT Crockett Family Reunion 2020 GO AHEAD DIRECT DESCENDANTS A Greeneville, Tennessee From the President Tim Massey Crockett Family and Friends I don’t think I need to tell you that we are in uncertain waters. If you recall the story of David crossing the flooded Obed River in chest-deep water feeling for the foot log to cross the river itself with his foot, well that is how I feel now. COVID-19 has affected everything from getting the newsletter out, to our t-shirt design, to are we going to be able to have the 2020 reunion at all. As it stands right now, the reunion is on as planned. States are planning to start returning to normalcy in May. Time will be the only measure we have to see if this thing passes as hoped. Your officers and board of directors have kept careful watch on the situation and feel at this time we can proceed with the reunion as planned. However, we will not put our family and friends in harms-way. If there is any question or doubts, the reunion will be rescheduled or moved to a later, safer time. As of right now, like you, I cannot predict the future. We do not want to compro- mise the heath and safety of our members, or the quality of the reunion experi- ence. With that said, the t-shirt design will incorporate the Crockett image on the front cover of this issue. It will be the usual very nice reunion t-shirt. As soon as we get an image we will get that out. I am attaching the reunion registration, please fill it out and send it in. If the re- union is moved or postponed your money will be refunded. The number of regis- trations received will also affect our decisions. I don’t mean to paint a cloudy or negative picture, but we are in uncertain times, and we don’t know where we will be on the other side. Crockett's have always stood firm in a storm and I expect no less. For now we are Going Ahead! I am still looking for a hoot’en, holler’en time with all you Crockett’s in July! In 2020 the Crockett Reunion will be in Greeneville TN at the historic General Morgan Inn. Make your reservations early. July 16-17-18. Call 1-800-787- 1000 tell them you are with the Crockett reunion. 2 The Historian’s Corner Joy Norwood Bland Buttercups among flowering shrubs and trees are about to be in full bloom here on the Bland Tennessee hill ---thus can our Crockett family reunion be far away? Hope everyone is making plans to attend. I am getting queries and applications regularly. Remember copying Ancestry family trees or copying from books is not research for proof of lineage. No lineage group is accepting this and we don’t either. Documentation with links must be used for proof with your Direct Descend- ant application and all applications must be complete no matter how many applications have already been filed on the ancestor. These are common rules for all lineage societies. I have documented 32 ancestors in some 12 societies and believe me we are not strict at all with what we require. As usual we are still getting so many queries from people trying to prove their David Crockett roots but have not found the documentation. I am including some of these in this column. They are so interesting! I wish I had room to share their family stories. DENNIS BARCH, Ottawa, Canada. Family has told Dennis that the research and proof has been done proving him kin to David through one of his brothers who went north. (We have documented David’s siblings and know that is incorrect) Dates are even wrong for this to be true. This is supposed to be the Pennsylvania Crockett's who migrated to Canada. Dennis sent great family pictures including a photo of the grave marker of his g-g-grandfather, George W. Crockett b.20 Feb 1874, d. 29 Mar 1914 Canada. I have been unable to help him and he wants an answer so badly. I have started a file on Dennis and his family so we can add to it if someone can help. JAMES KENNETH AUSTIN, Colorado, Kendra Goodin is seeking information on her spe- cial cousin (James was adopted by Kendra’s family) We are trying to find the link of his g-g- grandfather, James Madison Crockett b. 1835 Franklin, KY, d.1891 Jefferson Co, KY, m. Mar- garet Florence Mayhall. Kendra shared the following, “He (James) found his mother’s family some years ago, and she was Cherokee. He loves his native heritage—he is smart and athletic-- --- and plays piano beautifully by ear---has 6 grown children. Even if he is not related to the famous Crocketts, he sure has the pioneer spirit. He built his own straw bale ranch home and lives high in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in Colorado.” Wouldn’t we like to meet this prospective cousin? PAUARMOND CARROWL, Oregon. He descends from David’s uncle m, Catherine Haw- kins. He thinks William has a son John Daniel Crockett but the only John Daniel I have is the son of William’s brother Alexander. Yep! There is always a brick wall in genealogy. Paul is working on links and with all he knows, I think we will find his connection and get to meet his family. Hint! Hint! Don’t forget our website. Remember we need to help make this a great site for all those people who are visiting and looking for their roots. 5 MEMBERSHIP MATTERS - 2020 Dues were payable by July 1, 2019 Vicky Hello, Members! Many of you are paying your dues early. Thank you! As we get closer to our Reunion, I need your help. Last minute changes in schedule may occur as the date nears. Unfortunately, regular mail may not be the best option to com- municate. I do not have email addresses for all of you and I would appreciate if you would send me the best email address that you have. You can send these email ad- dresses by identifying yourself by simply putting your full name in the email body and pressing send. I appreciate your help in getting this done as soon as possible. For this specific task, please use [email protected] If you have not paid your 2019 dues, you will owe an additional $35.00 when you come to the Reun- ion. If you send a payment now and you have not paid for 2019, your payment received now will be applied to your 2019 dues. Please make sure that all your families know of this change. THE CROCKETT FAMILY (From New Orleans, LA newspaper, Sept 19, 1837) Among the members of the present House of Representatives in Congress, is John W. Crockett, a son of Col David Crockett. A correspondent of the Philadelphia In- quirer says, Mr. Crockett, judging from appearances, I should say, cannot be over twenty-six years of age. His personal appearance is very genteel and taken all in all, he is one of the best looking men in Congress. His father, the lamented Davy, who, you recollect, fell in the ill-fated affair of Bex- ar, was an old acquaintance of mine, and no one more sincerely regretted his fall than I did. He was a man of talent, and if he had the advantage of a good education, he would have ranked among the more able men of the day. He was the only really eccentric man I ever knew. He was eccentric without affec- tation and honest almost to a fault. Alas! poor Davy! He has gone to other and better worlds! Peace to his ashes! And let partial friendship ---shed the generous tear On the cold grave where all his sorrows rest, Strew vernal flowers—applaud his truth sincere, And bid the turf be easy on his breast. A better man than Davy Crockett never lived. I recollect that when the Colonel was about quitting Washington in the year 1835 he said to me, “I do not know, my boy, that I shall ever return to this city. It is possible that old Adam Huntsman may beat me. If he does there will be an end to my public life. But if I am defeated, not many years will elapse before I will send one of my family to Congress. I have a son whom I have educated for public life, and he will better fill my place than I can.” The assur- ance of the Colonel has been verified and that son is now in the House of Representatives. That he is a young man of talents, I am told is a fact; and that he is one of the most gentlemanly looking men in the House, is an assertion that I fancy no one will dispute. (John Wesley Crockett m. Martha Turner Hamilton (her parents, Judge John C. Hamilton & Capt Ber- ryman Turner, prominent and interesting lines) Children: Mary Elizabeth, Robert Hamilton, Alice Ann, Peytonia Bell (Mollie), Charles Watrous, Susan M. (Sudie). All have descendants and most of the charter members of DDKDC are from John Wesley’s line. Many from this line still attend the reunions and are active in the organization) Joy Bland 4 The 2004 Crockett Reunion held in Morristown, TN Memory Corner The 2008 Crockett Reunion held in Greeneville, TN Crockett Reunion July 2020 Planned Schedule Thursday July 16 5-8PM Registration & Social gathering at the General Morgan Inn 7-9PM Lyrics on the Lawn – Dickson-Williams Mansion (Greeneville) Friday July 17 7-9 AM Registration 9:30 AM board bus for Crockett Mill TN Historical Marker dedication at Still Hollow Farm 11:15 Visit Finley Cabin site of Polly & Davids marriage, visit Finley Cemetery 12-3:30pm Visit Crockett Tavern Morristown, TN Box lunch at Tavern 6-9 PM Caucus and general family meetings.