David “Davy” CROCKETT
| Deed Book A-B pp 430-431 DAVID CROCKETT Bill of Sale to George Patton Recorded in Weakley County Dec 21, 1831 Know all men by these presents that I David CROCKETT of the County of Weakley and State of Tennessee have this day bargained, sold and delivered unto George PATTEN of the County and State foresaid for and in consideration of the sum of 300 dollars to me in hand paid by the said George PATTEN one negro girl named ADALINE about 10 years of age which negro girl I warrant to be sound both in body and mind and also from all other lawful claims whatsoever of in or to the foresaid negro girl in testimony whereof I have here unto set my hand and seal this 19th day of May 1831 David CROCKETT His Seal Test: Abner BURGIN “Be always sure you are right then Go Ahead” State of Tennessee Weakley County October Term 1831 There was _______tion written bill of sale from David CROCKETT to George PATTEN presented in open Court by Abner BURGINS a subcribing witness and ordered to be certified for registration William H. JOHNSON, Clerk ———- Notes by MaryCarol * George PATTEN was David CROCKET’S brother-in-law by wife Elizabeth PATTEN * Abner BURGIN was also a brother-in-law by wife Elizabeth PATTEN * The “Be always sure you are right then Go Ahead” was not on the original document. It was written in by John J. DREWRY while he was serving as Registrar of the Weakley County Court house. There is speculation as to whether this was in fact a saying used by David CROCKETT. In my opinion it was because the Drewry family and the Crockett/Patten families were walking distance “neighbors” in Southern Weakley/Gibson County starting in the mid 1820’s. The Crockett family lived in several places around that area – both in Gibson and Weakley counties. John J. DREWRY (1821-1904) would have been a boy of 8 to 10, an impressionable age. He may have met some of the Crockett family and he certainly would have heard his father, John DREWRY (1789-1861) and grandfather, Richard DREWRY (1762-1850) talk about their famous neighbor, David CROCKETT, who died at the Alamo. John J. DREWRY was known for his sense of humor and fair play but I don’t think he would have put the saying on the Court Documents if he did not think it true. * Court minutes from Weakley County 1853-1857 p.84 reads, “July 4th, 1853, Ordered by the court, there being present, Willis WILLIAMS, T. KILLEBREW, J.B. CRITTENDON, D.S DEW, B.B. MARTIN, Y.P. POWERS. R. Harkey, G.W. CAMPBELL, J.J. WARD, F. PARKS, J.C. DENNING and J.C. WINSTEAD. That John J. Drewry be and he is hereby allowed the sum of one hundred dollars for transcribing the OLD REGISTER BOOKS. To be paid out of any county monies in the Trustees hands.” He was still serving as County Registrar in 1859 * In the mid 1820’s to mid 1830’s the 596 acres Richard DREWRY bought from Adam HUNTSMAN (The peg leg Attorney who beat David CROCKETT in Congressional race of August 1835 which motivated David to leave for Texas and the Alamo) was in Gibson County, backing up to the South Fork of the Obion River. David CROCKETT’S main place was in Weakley County, across the South fork of the Obion River. During the big land swap in 1837 between Gibson and Weakley the Drewry land was now in Weakley and the Crockett land was now in Gibson. * There is a Bear Creek not far from the Drewry land. I have kinfolk now passed on that said there was a tree, gone now, that was down on Bear Creek with David CROCKETT’S name carved in it that they saw when kids. A Drewry family story passed down, told to me by my Great Uncle Willard DREWRY (1900-1990) from his father, Harve DREWRY (1863-1965 – yes, 101 when died) was that in the early years they never knew what was waiting for them when they got up in the morning and went outside their “Log Houses”. Often times there were bears or Indians who STILL used the area for hunting grounds even after they were supposedly gone. * G. W. CAMPBELL was my ggg-grandfather * Richard DREWRY was my gggg-grandfather Submitted by MaryCarol
|