The Washington herald., 1911-09-10


He is one of the most picturesque
hgures In the history of the country, not
only through his extraordinary adventures,
but because of the nobilitr and simplicity
OF his character, and he will always be remem
bered as the man who led the ways into
new country in the West now teeming with
life and industry, but then as much of an un-
known region as were the forest and the
Jungles OF Central Africa.
Daniel Boone was born in Bucks county,
pennsylvania, on February IL, 1875, and,
when he was ten years OF age, went with
his father to Holman's Ford, on the Yad-
kin River. in North Carolina.
He did not receive much education there,
but as his parents belonged TO the Society
of Friends, he learned a great deal from the
Bible, and the early training which he thus
had, coupled with the lessons that Nature
taught him, undoubtedly laid the foundation
for his truthfulness and manliness.
Mhen twenty years of age he married and
built log cabin, where he lived number
OF ears busy and happy life.
The men of the settlement hunted in the
forest, sheared the sheep and tanned the
deersklns into leather; the women did the
spinning and weaving, the milking and cook
ing, the only, drawback to their enjoyment of
thS pastoral life being the danger of at
tacks by the Indians.
But for these the settlers were always pre-
pared. Each log cabin was practically
Tort; the Workmanship of the men with the
rlile was marvellous, and when occasion need
share in defending the settlement.
/, In l'oI, John Finlay, of the Ladkin set
tlement, made his way across the Alleghan-
,es' and from the mountain range at Cumber-
hnd zap saw the rolling plains of Kentucky.
lie returned to North Carolina and told his
story, and in May, 1863, an exploring party
started to cross the mountains and select a
site for a new settlement
Inc party consisted of six men-Boone,
Finley, Stewart Holden Money and Cool
In December they divided and Boone and
Stewart went off by themselves, but were
captured by Indians. For seven days they
marched West with their captors, to whom
they made themselves agreeable, supplying
them with game, which they shot the In
dams having no weapons but bows and ar
rows. On the seventh night the Indians
all fell asleep around the campiree. Boone
and Stewart made their way into the woods
anu !eacneu Ineir old camp, but found it
deserted, and Finley and his PARTY were never
heard of again.
Boone's brother and another man ioned
them there, and the four men hunted and
explored together Stewart was afterward
caught by Indians and tomaha wked, but Dan.
lel Boone escaped, through his swiftness of
foot. The third hunter went back, leaving
the brothers alone, but he never reached
In short time the brothers returned 70
that settlement and in September, l773.
started for Kentucky with their wives and
families and some other settlers There
were forty IN the party and the baggage was
carried on four horses
When Cumberland Gap was reached, there
was an Indian yell, followed by shower of
arrows, and six men were killed, one of them
being Daniels eldest son, seventeen years old
In spite OF the appeals of the two Boones,
the rest oil the party resolved to retreat
and made their way to the valley of the
Cllnch, in the extreme southwest of Virginia
The Boopes had, however, set their hearts
on settling in Kentucky, and regarded their
stay at the Clinch simply in the light of
visit.
In the year 1774 Governor Dunmore, of
Virginia, sent a party Of forty surveyors to
the Falls of the Ohio, now Louisville. The
Indians planned to kill them, and the gov
ernor, having heard of the plot, sent Boone
er lie passed safely through the Indian
country, reached the party and served as
their guide back to Virginia
In ITO DAME! took his wife and family
from the Chnch into Kentucky, and built
ten log cabins in the form of a fort on the
Kentucky River on the present site of Boones-
borough
Other settlers went with him and the new
settlement was called the colony of Tran
sylvania in America" Boonesborough was
made the capital and three other settlements
were planted at Harrodsburgh, st. Asaph
and Boiling Spring.
The colony was to be independent, owing
allegiance to no other power, nor expecting
help from any one; and although it had only
population OF one hundred and fifty it had
legislature and a church.
Pennsylvania had however, short exist
encc. Vlrginlans laid claim to the territory
but their title was declared null Hender-
son, the president of the colony, was gwen
grant of tract of land about twelve miles
square, and the forts which the settlers had
built passed under the control of the British
crown.
The settlement had, however. drawn at
tention to the natural resources of Ken
lucky, and stream of emigration began to
flew to the new West But the Indians were
determined that their hunting grounds sh auId
10, be inXndCd. AND In LII the seti L.rS