King of the Wild Frontier

While passing through Cincinnati, R. W. Clarke of Bethel, Ohio happened to catch a glimpse of Davy Crockett, who had been in town making a political speech.  At that point in his career, the "king of the wild frontier" had moved on from bear hunting and was now a United States Congressman representing Tennessee.

His notoriety as a frontiersman still loomed large in American culture, however, thanks in no small part to the play Clarke mentioned in his letter.  Actually called The Lion of the West, it first opened in New York in 1831 starring James Hackett as Nimrod Wildfire, a fictionalized and highly exaggerated version of Crockett.

The summer of 1834 wasn't the first time Crockett had attended this play.  The following notice, from the Springfield Illinois Weekly State Journal of January 25, 1834, indicates that he saw it at least once in Washington, as well: 

R. W. Clarke to Henry Eddy, July 15, 1834
Henry Eddy Papers, Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library

 "I saw Davy Crocket at Cincinnati, on Saturday, he made a speech, which I did not hear, but understand that it was a very good and sensible address. At the theater on Saturday night they played, “Nimrod Wildfire,” in which Davy is the chief character. I’m told that Davy was greatly amused at the play and frequently laughed heartily at some of his odd sayings, as they were spoken in the play.”