The Life of Daniel Boone

Born in Pennsylvania

Oct 22, 1734

1734 – Daniel Boone was born near Reading, Pennsylvania on October 22. Because of a later change in the calendar, his birthday is sometimes reported as November 2. He was Sarah & Squire Boone's sixth child. His parents were Quakers and they brought him up in that religion.

His first "long hunt"

Oct 22, 1750

1750 - When Daniel was 16, his family moved away from their home in Pennsylvania. This year Daniel also went on his first "long hunt", a hunting trip that could last for weeks or months.

Family moves to North Carolina

Oct 22, 1751

1751 – The Boone family settled in Rowan County, North Carolina, on the Yadkin River.

The French and Indian War

Oct 22, 1755

1755 - The French and Indian War began. In this war the French and tribes of Indians who were their allies fought against the English settlers, like Daniel Boone’s family. Daniel was a wagon driver with the English army in a battle near what is now Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The English were defeated there, but Daniel escaped.

Married Rebecca Bryan

Aug 14, 1756

1756 – When he was 22, Daniel Boone married Rebecca Bryan and they settled in Rowan County, North Carolina. During their life together, Daniel and Rebecca had ten children. Their first child was born in 1757 and the tenth child was born in 1781. The names of their children were James, Israel, Susannah, Jemima, Levina, Rebecca, Daniel, Jesse, William, and Nathan

Exploring Florida

Oct 22, 1765

1765 - Boone and a group of men went to explore the territory of Florida to see if his family might move there.

First Trip to Kentucky

Oct 22, 1767

1767 – Boone went to Kentucky for the first time and hunted along the Big Sandy River.

Spent two years hunting in Kentucky

Oct 22, 1769

1769-1771 -- Daniel Boone and several other men went through Tennessee into Kentucky on a two year long hunting trip. While they were in Kentucky, Daniel and his brother-in-law were captured twice by Indians. The first time they were set free and the second time they escaped. The Indian tribes depended on hunting in Kentucky for their food and they wanted the colonial settlers and hunters to stay away. In 1770, Daniel’s brother, Squire Boone, came to join the hunting group. Daniel and Squire ret

Oldest son, James, killed

Oct 22, 1773

1773 -- Daniel and some friends made the first attempt to settle in Kentucky. Indians attacked part of the group. Daniel’s oldest son, James, and five other men were killed. The rest of the group gave up the settlement.

Blaze Wilderness Road and build Fort Boonesborough

Oct 22, 1775

1775 -- Daniel Boone led a group of about thirty men to blaze Wilderness Road leading through the Cumberland Gap into Kentucky. They “blazed” the trail by using axes to cut through the forest. Boone founded Fort Boonesborough for protection from Shawnee attacks and brought his family to live in Kentucky. This same year, the American Revolutionary War began in Lexington, Massachusetts.

Daughter, Jemima, captured and rescued

Jul 14, 1776

1776 – The Declaration of Independence was signed this year on July 4, but a copy didn’t reach Boonesborough until August. On July 14, Shawnee Indians captured Jemima Boone and two of her friends when they went outside the fort. Daniel led a group of men who caught up with the Shawnees and rescued the girls two days later.

Captured by Shawnee, escape to warn Boonesborough of attack

Feb 9, 1778

1778 - Boone and some of his men were captured by Shawnees when they were outside the fort making salt. He lived with the Indian tribe from February until June. When he learned that the Shawnee were planning to attack Fort Boonesborough, he escaped to warn the fort. While he was with the Indians, his wife and children returned to North Carolina. Later in the year he returned to join them there.

Founded Boone Station

Oct 22, 1779

1779 – The next year, Boone led a large group of settler’s to Kentucky, where they founded Boone's Station, north of the Kentucky River

Son, Israel, killed

Aug 19, 1782

Israel Boone is killed in fight with Indians at Blue Licks.

Tavern and business deals

Oct 22, 1783

1783 – Daniel moved his family to Limestone, on the Ohio River. He kept a tavern there and made a business of buying and selling land for settlers.

John Filson publishes The Adventures of Col. Daniel Boon

Oct 22, 1784

1784 – The historian John Filson, published the book, “The Adventures of Col. Daniel Boon” on Boone's fiftieth birthday. This book made Daniel Boone famous. It told stories of his adventures with some exaggerations.

Move to West Virginia

Oct 22, 1792

1792 – Because of business problems, Boone returned to full-time hunting. He moved with his wife to a cabin near Charleston, West Virginia.

Invited to Missouri by Spanish

Oct 22, 1799

1799 – At this time the area that is now Missouri was territory owned by Spain. The Spanish governor of the territory invited Boone and his family to settle there. Boone was given a large plot of land and appointed to official positions as a judge and military commander.

Injured in hunting accident

Oct 22, 1803

1803 - Boone was injured in an accident while trapping animals for furs. He had to hide for twenty days from an Indian hunting party before he could get help.

Louisiana Purchase

Oct 22, 1804

1804 – America bought the Louisiana Territory, including Missouri, from Spain. The American government didn’t recognize Boone’s ownership of the land he was given by the Spanish governor.

Volunteered for duty in War of 1812, but turned down

Oct 22, 1812

1812 – When the War of 1812 began, Boone volunteered for duty, but he was turned down because of his age. He was 78.

Wife, Rebecca, dies

Mar 18, 1813

1813 – Daniel’s wife, Rebecca Boone, died and was buried in the Boone Family Cemetery in Missouri.

Congress & President grant land in Missouri

Oct 22, 1815

1815 – Congress and President James Monroe finally awarded Boone the same amount of land in Missouri that he had been given by the Spanish. However, Boone sold most of the land to pay off old debts in Kentucky.

Exploring Kansas & Nebraska

Oct 22, 1816

1816 - Boone traveled further west to explore parts of Kansas and Nebraska

Last Hunt

Oct 22, 1817

1817 – Boone went on his last hunt.

Dies at daughter's home in Missouri

Sep 26, 1820

1820 – Daniel Boone lived with his daughter, Jemima, and her husband, Flanders Callaway. The artist, Chester Harding, painted Boone’s portrait there a few months before his death. Daniel Boone died on September 26; a month before his 86th birthday. He was buried next to his wife, Rebecca, in the family cemetery.

Reburied in Frankfort, Kentucky

Oct 22, 1845

1845 – Kentucky officials moved the remains of Daniel and Rebecca Boone to a gravesite in Frankfort, Kentucky.