David Crockett_ The Lion of the West - Michael Wallis [40]
“For I thought she looked sweeter than sugar; and by this time I loved her almost well enough to eat her.” Instead he restrained himself, and together they followed a footpath that led them to a dwelling where they were given food and shelter. “Here we staid all night,” wrote Crockett. “I set up all night courting; and in the morning we parted. She went to her home, from which we were distant about seven miles, and I to mine, which was ten miles off.”17
Crockett was determined not to allow yet another prospective wife slip away from him. He pressed his wooing of Polly, and tried his level best to win over her headstrong mother. An indication of Crockett’s serious intent to make Polly his bride was revealed when he sold his cherished rifle—the first gun he ever owned—to the Canaday son in order to cut the work time to pay off the debt for his horse.18 Any frontiersman had to be crazily infatuated if he was willing to sell a classic Kentucky rifle of the finest quality to help secure a girl’s hand in marriage.
At last the young couple discussed a wedding date, and David donned his best clothes and rode to the Finley place to ask for Polly’s hand. Billy Finley was cordial, but his wife clearly did not welcome Crockett to her home. “When I got there, the old lady appeared to be mighty wrathy; and when I broached the subject, she looked at me as savage as a meat ax.”19 Crockett tried to use his charm, but nothing seemed to work or soften Jean Finley, whose “Irish was up too high to do any thing with her.” Crockett made sure the Finleys knew that he intended to marry Polly one way or another; if the wedding could not take place at their home, the couple would go elsewhere. Before riding off, David told Polly he would be back in several days with a saddled horse for her to use and that she should be prepared to leave. On his way home, David stopped at the house of a justice of the peace, who agreed to perform the ceremony.
On August 12, 1806, Crockett once again rode to the county seat of Dandridge and went to the courthouse to apply for another marriage license.20 His friend Thomas Doggett, of Morristown, accompanied Crockett. County Clerk Joseph Hamilton issued the marriage bond after both men cosigned, pledging $1,250, an immense sum at the time, on the condition there be “no cause to obstruct the marriage of the said David Crockett with Polly Findley [sic].”21
Nothing would prevent this union. On Saturday, August 16, 1806, David, following the custom of the day, gathered an escort that included two of his brothers, a sister-in-law, an unmarried sister, Thomas Doggett, and another friend. With David in the lead, the entourage rode off to fetch Polly. A larger company of friends and neighbors who had heard of the wedding and wished to attend met them about two miles from the Finley place. One of Crockett’s brothers, his sister, and Doggett were sent ahead to the Finley cabin bearing empty flasks, or flagons. Custom called for the vessels to be filled with strong drink to signal that a cordial greeting and hospitality could be expected.22 Jean Finely shunned the riders, but Billy Finley, in turn, ignored his wife. He filled the flasks to overflowing, and the delegation returned to the main group with the tokens of welcome and passed them around for those gathered to quaff before proceeding on to the waiting Polly.
Upon arriving, David remained mounted and asked Polly if she was ready to ride away with him to their marriage. She said she was, and jumped up on the spare horse Crockett led. Then Billy Finley intervened. He stopped the riders at the gate and implored David to stay and have the wedding at his home. David had always respected Polly’s father and replied that he would remain if Jean herself would ask him and also apologize for her