David Crockett was born on August 17, 1786 to John and Rebecca Crockett in Greene County, Tennessee.

In 1796, John Crockett opened a tavern on the road from Knoxville to Abingdon, Virginia. Two years after opening the tavern, John Crockett hired his son out to Jacob Siler to help him drive a herd of cattle to Rockbridge County, Virginia. After the job was finished, Siler tried by force to keep Davy working for him. Davy sneaked out one night and walked seven miles in knee deep snow to escape. It was either late in 1798 or early in 1799 that Davy finally made his way back home.

He started school after his return, but that didn’t go so well. He began to spend his school days in the woods instead of in the classroom. When Davy’s father learned of it, Davy ran away from home in what he later referred to as a “strategic withdrawal“. He was gone for two and a half years. During that time, he worked as a wagoner and laborer on many odd jobs.

In 1806, Davy returned home and went into the tavern unannounced to eat a meal. He had grown so much during his absence that most of his family members did not recognize him. One little sister recognized him as her big brother, Davy.

Much to Davy’s surprise, the entire family welcomed him back with open arms, including his father. Shortly thereafter, Davy went to work to repay his dad for the money he had spent on the school. It took him almost a year to repay the seventy-six dollars. Davy then decided to go back to school. He attended school for six months.

On August 14, 1806 he married Mary (Polly) Finley in Jefferson County, Tennessee. They lived for five years in the mountains of East Tennessee. During that time their two sons, John and William were born.

Late in 1811, the Crockett family moved to the Mulberry Fork of Elk River in Lincoln County, Tennessee and again in 1813 they moved to the Rattlesnake Spring branch of Bean’s Creek in Franklin County, Tennessee.

In September of 1813, Davy enlisted in the Tennessee militia after hearing of the massacre at Fort Mimms, Alabama. Serving under General Andrew Jackson, he participated in the attack on the Indian town of Tallussahatchee on November 3, 1813. His enlistment was for ninety days and he returned home immediately following it. He re-enlisted on September 28, 1814 as a third sergeant in Captain John Cowan’s company. During this tour, he spent his time tracking Indians through the Florida swamps. After his discharge in 1815, he returned home to learn that he was then the father of little Margaret Crockett. Sadly, Polly passed away in the summer of that year.

On May 21, 1815, he was elected a lieutenant in the Thirty-second militia regiment of Franklin County, Tennessee.