Advanced American History
Daniel Boone Paper
November 8, 2013
Daniel Boone was born on November 2, 1734 in Reading, Pennsylvania to Squire Boone Sr. and Sarah Boone. Daniel was the sixth child to the Boone’s and from a young age the most fearless. When he was 15, Daniel killed his first black bear, which was considered quite a feat considering most boys ran away in fear of the thought of hunting the bear. Squire taught young Daniel from a young age how to survive in the Pennsylvania woods. He learned how to locate game trails, build signal fires, sharpen a knife, and build a shelter. When Daniel was 12, his father gave him his first rifle and at 13, Boone won the local Reading turkey shoot. Formal education was also a big deal in the Boone household. Sarah Boone spent many long months teaching young Daniel how to read and write. At 15, the Boone’s packed up and left Reading for Rowan County, North Carolina. Rowan County was located near the Yadkin River which was very plentiful in game. At the age of 17, Daniel left home and started his own hunting business right along the Yadkin River.
In 1755, at the age of 21, Daniel joined a military expedition headed by General Edward Braddock that was fighting the French and several different groups of Indians during the French and Indian war. Their first engagement occurred at Turtle Creek, which is now modern day Pittsburgh. Braddock’s army was ambushed, and Boone escaped near death by horseback. It would be the end of Boone’s military experience. Returning to the Yadkin Valley, Boone married his first wife, Rebecca Bryan and set up his home in the Yadkin Valley. She would bear him six children over the next 11 years before her death in child birth. In 1767, Boone remarried to a cousin of Rebecca’s and within 5 months of marriage began his own hunting expedition. The trip was meant to explore along the Big Sandy River in Kentucky and then push further west into unknown lands. Due to weather and lack of supplies Boone’s expedition was forced to turn back after only going 30 miles past the Big Sandy to Floyd County, Kentucky.
In May of 1769, Boone was determined as ever to again push into new territory west of Kentucky. Partnering with old war friend John Finely, Boone cleared a trail through the Cumberland Gap which would eventually become a major highway for new settlers to move further west. In 1775, at the ripe age of 41, Boone led Richard Henderson’s Transylvania Company to the most western side of Kentucky and set up an establishment and named it Boonesborough. There was a fort set up there and after his return, Boone brought his family there to live. Boonesborough brought many complications. The native Cherokee and Shawnee did not take Boone’s intrusion well and often attacked the fort. In 1776, Boone’s daughter Jemima was kidnapped by the Shawnee. Boone led a daring rescue mission and eventually was able to retrieve her unharmed.
In 1777, Boone was shot in the ankle during a Cherokee attack. He was bed ridden nearly a year before being able to walk again. Just after his recovery, Boone himself was captured by the Shawnee and after two long weeks escaped again. He returned to a furious town, who blamed Boone for bringing them to such a dangerous and violent place. By the summer of 1788 Boone was run out of Boonesborugh. He moved to Point Pleasant, West Virginia where he served as a lieutenant colonel in the local militia for three years. However, he became bored and again moved further west to Missouri.
Boone would hunt the rest of his life and raise his family. Two of his sons would be killed in the war of 1812. The rest of his children spread his seed throughout south Missouri. On September 26, 1820 Boone died of natural causes, he was 85 years old. Twenty years later he was reburied in Boonesborough. His grave is marked with these words, “Trailblazer, Hunter, and the bravery of twenty men.”
Daniel Boone Paper
November 8, 2013
Daniel Boone was born on November 2, 1734 in Reading, Pennsylvania to Squire Boone Sr. and Sarah Boone. Daniel was the sixth child to the Boone’s and from a young age the most fearless. When he was 15, Daniel killed his first black bear, which was considered quite a feat considering most boys ran away in fear of the thought of hunting the bear. Squire taught young Daniel from a young age how to survive in the Pennsylvania woods. He learned how to locate game trails, build signal fires, sharpen a knife, and build a shelter. When Daniel was 12, his father gave him his first rifle and at 13, Boone won the local Reading turkey shoot. Formal education was also a big deal in the Boone household. Sarah Boone spent many long months teaching young Daniel how to read and write. At 15, the Boone’s packed up and left Reading for Rowan County, North Carolina. Rowan County was located near the Yadkin River which was very plentiful in game. At the age of 17, Daniel left home and started his own hunting business right along the Yadkin River.
In 1755, at the age of 21, Daniel joined a military expedition headed by General Edward Braddock that was fighting the French and several different groups of Indians during the French and Indian war. Their first engagement occurred at Turtle Creek, which is now modern day Pittsburgh. Braddock’s army was ambushed, and Boone escaped near death by horseback. It would be the end of Boone’s military experience. Returning to the Yadkin Valley, Boone married his first wife, Rebecca Bryan and set up his home in the Yadkin Valley. She would bear him six children over the next 11 years before her death in child birth. In 1767, Boone remarried to a cousin of Rebecca’s and within 5 months of marriage began his own hunting expedition. The trip was meant to explore along the Big Sandy River in Kentucky and then push further west into unknown lands. Due to weather and lack of supplies Boone’s expedition was forced to turn back after only going 30 miles past the Big Sandy to Floyd County, Kentucky.
In May of 1769, Boone was determined as ever to again push into new territory west of Kentucky. Partnering with old war friend John Finely, Boone cleared a trail through the Cumberland Gap which would eventually become a major highway for new settlers to move further west. In 1775, at the ripe age of 41, Boone led Richard Henderson’s Transylvania Company to the most western side of Kentucky and set up an establishment and named it Boonesborough. There was a fort set up there and after his return, Boone brought his family there to live. Boonesborough brought many complications. The native Cherokee and Shawnee did not take Boone’s intrusion well and often attacked the fort. In 1776, Boone’s daughter Jemima was kidnapped by the Shawnee. Boone led a daring rescue mission and eventually was able to retrieve her unharmed.
In 1777, Boone was shot in the ankle during a Cherokee attack. He was bed ridden nearly a year before being able to walk again. Just after his recovery, Boone himself was captured by the Shawnee and after two long weeks escaped again. He returned to a furious town, who blamed Boone for bringing them to such a dangerous and violent place. By the summer of 1788 Boone was run out of Boonesborugh. He moved to Point Pleasant, West Virginia where he served as a lieutenant colonel in the local militia for three years. However, he became bored and again moved further west to Missouri.
Boone would hunt the rest of his life and raise his family. Two of his sons would be killed in the war of 1812. The rest of his children spread his seed throughout south Missouri. On September 26, 1820 Boone died of natural causes, he was 85 years old. Twenty years later he was reburied in Boonesborough. His grave is marked with these words, “Trailblazer, Hunter, and the bravery of twenty men.”
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