The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1854-10-27

. anisI 8 Osne.

t.L
THIs hardy and brave pioneer, and found
er OF Kentucky, was born in I748, in Bucks
county, Pennsylvania. While yet mere
boy, his father emigrated to North Carolina
and settled on the banks Of the South Yad-
kin river. The wild and daring spirit, the
loye'of adventure, and fearless intrepidity,
which characterized his maturer life, were
displayed very early. Before he was twen-
ty, he married the daughter of Mr.. Ryan, a
neighboring settler, by whom he had several
children, ard who cheerfully shared with
him his lonely and repeated removals from
civilized into savage life. ..,
On the lst of May, 1869, Boone, with n
few neighbors, started for the western will
derness, and, at length, ''located". on the
banks OF the Red River, in Kentucky, then
an unbroken wilderness, which had never
know white man, nor resounded to the
stroke of the axe. We could not follow our
hero through all the visissitudes of his pio-
neer life it was one of great peril and many
hardships. Several times taken prisoner
by the Indians, he had the tact to conciliate
them, and contrive his escape Enduring
much by reason Of hunger and privations
| toiling early and late to reduce the savage
wastes to condition of cultivation, he nc
quired such a passion for his wild and ad
vepturous life, that when, in 1892, Kentucky
was admitted to the Union, he struck out
still farther into the wilderness and settled
at length, st. Charles, on the Missouri River
about forty-five miles above St. Louis. On
being asked why, at his time of life, he re
linquished the comforts of home he had
redeemed from savage life and rendered
comfortable, for the renewed trials of wild.
erness home, his answer was, "Oh, am too
crowded; must have more elbow ROOM"
During this interval of time, Col. Boone
had made many lesser changes in his place
of residence, and had often been employed
by Government on missions of hostile and
| friendly intent among the Indians in all OF
which he exhibited craftsmanship and
courage which won for him the approval Of
his employers and the admiration of his say.
age foes. He resided in his last home about
fifteen years, when, losing his wife, who bad
shared with him all his perlious life, he went
to spend the remnant of his days with his
son, Maj. Nathan Boone, are when he died
in 1922, breathing his last in perfect resig-
nation, at the great age ofeighty -four years.
1t would for exceed our proposed limits to
enter minute detail of all the romantic and
adventurous exploits of this remarkable man
we content ourselves with the following:
While a resident in his fathers house, on
the Iadkin River, being about eighteen
years of age, he, in company with another
youth of the neighborhood, got up ':firc
hunt" which is conducted as follows One
of the party rides through the forest on horse
back, with lighted torch swinging above
his head, while the other remains in covert
The torch attracts the attention of the deer
and at a signal from the concealed person
the torch is held stationary, and, while tn,
eager eyes of the wondering animal are ix
ed on the light, ball is planted between
them, and the ''poor fool'S falls n victim t.
his curiosity. On this occasion, Boone wa.
in covert, and seeing pair of rejecting eve.
through the dim shade of the trees, leveled
his rife, and gave the preconcerted signal
To his astonishment, the animal turned and
| fled; without a thought, the brave hunter
sprung from his hiding place and pursued
Over hill and moor, through brake and thick
ct, the race went forward, our hero gaining
on the game until, at length, the affrightcd
and pursued object rushed into the house Of
his newly settled neighbor Ryan. Flngine
himself through the door, we may Judge O
the confusion of Boone, when he saw the OBJ
ject of his pursuit fainting with terror in the
old mans arms-.for ii ,ras has beautiful
and only daughter! We need not relate
how he wooed and won the fair Rebecca
who come so near being the victim to hi:
bullet. .a.r E-ssi H. XII. r. ., ...;,... r.,
While residing on the kentucky River
a party of three Indians waylaid and tool
prisoners three young ladies, one of them
Boone's daughter. He was absent from tho
fort at the, ,time-but, returning some hour:
after, commenced the pursuit alone, over
took the party the following day, and, slay,
ing two Of the Indians, returned to the fort
bringing the fair captives with bim.---Iius
trated american Biography.
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