Davy Crockett Crosses Into Texas (Oral Tradition)

Neighbor from Washington, Arkansas | 4-11-04 | YepYep (via Oral Tradition)

[YepYep]

Okay, FRiend, just sit yourself down and listen to the way Davy Crockett (1835 or early 1836) got himself and his Tennessee volunteers into Texas on the way to the Alamo.

You see, at that time there were no super highways and bridges, so the way you got over the rivers was by ferry. Also at that time the Red River was considered to be the Texas border. But there were a family/group of thugs, highway robbers and murderers that lived in Miller County (now Texarkana) who had heard that the Crockett party would be coming their way. This group of robbers were gleeful in anticipation of the arrival of the Crockett party.

Mrs. Clark, who was involved with one of the ferries, heard of their plans for mischief, and determined within herself to set out to warn Davy and his men.

She left her ferry and traveled north to Washington, Arkansas, arriving deep in the night. When the Washington tavernkeeper answered her knock on the door, he recognized her, and said, "Why Mrs. Clark, what brings you out on a night like this?" Mrs. Clark, a rough but honest lady, responded, "Three things--My horse, Your whiskey, 'n' I gotta talk to Davy Crockett!"

Mrs. Clark was successful in delivering the warning in time, the Crockett party took a diferent and safer ferry, and arrived along with their possessions and their lives safely to the gathering at the Alamo.

[YepYep]

This historical information was orally and carefully delivered to me by an elderly gentleman who used to live in Washington, Arkansas. He is a scholar, and has always presented himself in an honest and trustworthy manner. I believe it to be true.

[Happy2BMe]

Unless you mention where Davy got his Arkansaw toothpick, I will have to discount this story as an old wives tale.

Can you? Can the man who told you?

This should be interesting.

[devane617]

I believe the Toothpick you refer to, was made from the bone of a Raccoon Penis.
Before anyone decides to flame me for the above. It is fact and not a joke. In fact RP's were used as toothpicks by the very rich and famous in those days. I suspect they can still be had on the internet, but I have not done a search.

[YepYep]

Awww, come on now, you have your Alamo heroes mixed up. The Arkansas toothpick is the famous Bowie knife, carried and used by that hero/scoundrel Jim Bowie. Actually, David Crockett carried his trust rifle that he named Betsy.

So there, and why would you doubt the veracity of this tale, that was clearly handed down carefully from the viewpoint of the tavernkeeper of Washington, Arkansas?

[Tennessee_Bob]

Ummm...it's a knife.

[Ditter]

Raccoon? I thought that a bear was the only animal to have a bone in his penis?

[YepYep]

Sorry, but does this make any sense? Can anyone tell me if a raccoon penis actually has within it a bone?

[devane617]

Bears maybe, but Raccoon P's are the only ones that I know of for a fact. I will see if I can find one on Ebay.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=1468&item=4161302150&rd=1&ssPageName=WD1V
Above is a link for RP's. They are stated as toothpicks, but in days gone by, they were used as TP's.

[YepYep]

An additional part of this historical information. No disparagements are being cast upon the present day fine city of Texarkana. But in the wild and woolly days of the mid 1800's, Texas did not claim Miller County, said it belonged to Arkansas. But Arkansas also did not claim the area, saying it belonged to Texas. The reason? Law and order was just too hard to keep in that area. This gives credence to the story about Mrs. Clark warning David Crockett to take another ferry into Texas.

[Ditter]

I have *seen* the bone taken from a bears penis so that is a fact. It is too big to be used as a toothpick. I thought bears were the only animal but if you have seen a raccoon penis bone then there are (at least) 2 animals that contain a bone in their penis.

[gopheraj]

yep it's true. Hubby has one (somewhere here) that he made himself. Apparently,it was a thing for guys to do where he was raised (hill country of Texas).

[YepYep]

Gotta leave for a time, will check back in later today.

In the meantime, can any FReeper (especially those in Texas, Tennessee and Arkansas) add to this thread any oral tradition that you have about Davy Crockett? I really will be interested in checking this out.

[mtbopfuyn]

My grandpa grew up nextdoor to Davy's granddaughter. The story of Davy escaping the Alamo was hogwash and nothing more than someone wanting to sell a book.

[YepYep]

Also, wondering what others who saw The Alamo movie think about it.

[FreeManWhoCan]

Mrrs. Clark sounds like that Calamity Jane type woman on the new HBO = DEADWOOD series. That series is great by the way but I just cringe when they *continously* keep using that word co*kSucker in almost all conversations.

[Happy2BMe]

Nope. Yep Yep set us all straight in post #4.

(I humbly apologize to Yep Yep on the Crockett story.)

hehe . . thankya kindly, Yep Yep.

OK. Now - here's one for all of ya - what ACTIVE U.S. Army unit carries the Bowie Knife on their belts? And (if you don't mind, YEPYEP) where did Jim Bowie get his Arkansaw Toothpick?

he he eheeeee. . .

(Anybody got a toothpick?)

[CT]

Bet you a dollar that those river thieves were Clinton ancestors.

[YepYep]

Never heard the story of Davy escaping the Alamo. That was probably like the Elvis is Alive stories. No, he definitely died there. Mrs. Dickerson (Alamo survivor whose husband died there)saw his body as she left the Alamo. In fact there is a present day marker on the floor of the Alamo to mark the place where he died. It was presented a number of years ago by the Governor of Tennessee (Lamar Alexander).

[gopheraj]

LOL I was only "yepping" on the existence of a RP for a toothpick. I had heard that the Arkansas toothpick WAS the bowie knife.

[devane617]

What in the &^%* is the "Yep Yep" supposed to be? Is it a laugh or what. Makes me nervous.