Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1883-04-03
For the SPECTATOR.
Daniel Boone.

Mr.. EDIToR:-In last weeks SPECTATOR
LANG Syne" is desiring to know something o
Daniel Boone, dc, AS something Of my scrib
bling at different times about Daniel Boone II
perhaps referred to, may be excused for at
tempting as briefly as I can to answer some o
his queries. Daniel Boone was born sever
miles east Of Reading, Berks county. Penn.
in October, 1873. visited his birthplace few
years ago, But while don't care to make use
now Of some facts touching his family, intend
ing them for more lengthy and connected mar.
rative, will introduce them to crafty the curl
osity of Lang Syne." They were kindly fur.
nished me by a friend in Reading, who. though
much younger, has much of the fondness fol
this sort of research have always had. He
says: Reading was laid out in 1748. 1t was
not known before that year. Berks county
was erected in 1852 The eastern section was
taken from Philadelphia county, Pa. Squire
Boone. the father of Daniel, bought $50 acres Of
land in Philadelphia county in 17S0. The deed
describes his place of residence Philadelphia
county. He lived in this place then, If not
for at least ten years before. When he left
Bucks county he settled here. The birth OF
Daniel Boone was taken from the Boone family
Bible. The manuscript is in my possession.
1t was prepared by superior and careful scriv-
ener, James Boone, one of the family, math.
ematician. Squire Boone was assessed as own
er Of $50 acres Of land in Obey, 1734. This seq
ton of country was cut from Obey, with other
land, in l74l, and formed into township called
Exeter. Squire Boone and family, including
Daniel, left Exeter, April 18th, 1850, and moved
to North Carolina. where they settled. On 18th
of April, 175O, just before he sold this land, that
is l58 of the $50 acres, to VIM. Mogridge, ode
scribing himself as living in Philadelphia
county, 1850, and not in Bucks county) Squire
Boone lived at no other place in Philadelphia
(now Exeter, Berks county, Hence, Daniel
Boone was certainly born in Berks county In
1873. He died in Missouri, September 18th, 1920
aged 81 years. His biographers all agree that
he died in 1920, aged 81 years. Hence, his birth
year was 1888. The Boones were not Swedes,
but Friends. Squire Boone was prominently
identified with them"
Now, it seems to me, the above clear bit OF
history ought to satisfy all the doubling Thorn
asses everywhere as to the time and place OF
his birth. I can't recall now the place in
North Carolina where the family settled. Dan
iePs adventurous spirit did not let him stay
there long. He presently found himself in the
extreme northwest county, as it is now-Wa-
tanga-the countryside OF which is called Boone
for him, and the humble cabin of poles has
had two or more roofs-it being one of the IL
ons of the place. Had I time could give many
incidents of his life In Northeast Tennessee
Southwest Virginia, and Southeast Kentucky.
He became resident of what is now Kanawha
county; was elected with another to the Vir-
ginia House of Burgesses; walked and carried
his rifle to Richmond; tried it few days; left
in disgust returned to Kanawha; then re-
moved Into the Blue Lick region of Kentucky
then to Missouri where he died. Lang Syne's''
mention Of his having been with Braddock
was to me the first intimation. He may have
been. He has had half dozen or more biog-
raphers. Most of them are unreliable, the
writers having drawn on their imagination.
have no idea that the Boones Lang Syne''
refers to are at all connected with the old pio-
neer. We furnished many items to Hon. Ly-
man q. Drapere LII. D., who is getting up BIZ
ography of Boone all may regard as near per-
feet as 1t is possible; and If our would-be his
torians had scintilla of his research, accura-
cy, truthfulness, and all that, they would not
find their lucubrations the subject of scott and
jest. OMICRoN.