In 1815, Elizabeth Patton married Davy Crockett, becoming Crockett’s second wife. In the mid-1850s, many years after Crockett’s 1836 death in the battle of the Alamo, Elizabeth moved her family from Tennessee to the Acton area to claim a land grant for the heirs of Alamo defenders. She and two of her sons settled on the 320 acres granted to them by the Republic of Texas.
After her death at the age of 72 on Jan. 31, 1860, Elizabeth was laid to rest in the Acton Cemetery, dressed in the widow's black she had worn since hearing of her husband's death. In 1911, the state placed a monument at her burial site, commemorating the widow of one of the nation's most celebrated folk heroes.
Did You Know?
- Acton State Historic Site is Texas' smallest historic site, with a total of .01 acres.