Legendary frontiersman David "Davy" Crockett was born on this day in 1786 near Limestone, Tennessee, the fifth of nine children. At age 13, he ran away from home and was educated by the wilderness, with little time for “book-learning.”

A hunter, soldier, and U.S. Congressman, Crockett lived boldly and spoke plainly. He said, “Be sure you are right, then go ahead.”

He served under Andrew Jackson in the War of 1812, was elected to the Tennessee Legislature in 1823 and the U.S. House in 1827 and 1833. “I have always supported measures and principles and not men,” he declared. “I have acted fearless and independent and I never will regret my course.”

With his long-barreled rifle, Betsy, he once killed 49 bears in a single month. “Let your tongue speak what your heart thinks,” he advised. A natural hero, his charisma and rough wit earned him admiration across the country.

In defeat, he remained undeterred. After losing reelection in 1835, Crockett ventured to Texas in search of new frontiers. A year later, he died heroically at the Alamo, helping secure Texas independence from Mexico.