---

Daniel Boone Birth: October 22, 1734 Oley Valley, Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States Death: September 26, 1820, Femme Osage Creek, Missouri, United States Vocation: Pioneer, hunter, soldier Allegiance: Britain, American Colonies, United States Accomplishments: exploration and settlement Kentucky, establishing the Wilderness Road through the Cumberland Gap, founding Boonesborough, the Battle of Blue Licks Battles: Daniel Boone was born on October 22, 1734 in Oley Valley, Berks County, Pennsylvania to Squire and Sarah Boone. The Boone family were Quakers. He began hunting at an early age and there are many stories about him as a youth. While young Daniel spent most of his time in the woods he did learn to read and write and years later wrote a book about some of his adventures. Even though he was raised as a Quaker, Daniel was not a practicing Quaker later in life, although he did consider himself Christian. Boone served with the British military during the French and Indian War. He accompanied the Braddock campaign, into the Ohio territory as a wagon driver in 1755. Also present were George Washington and Horatio Gates. The campaign ended in a defeat at the Battle of the Monongahela. Shortly after this Boone married Rebecca Bryan. In 1759, as the war continued, the Cherokee Revolt began. The Cherokee and British had been allies but several problems occurred that led to retaliation by both sides. Boone continued his military service in a militia at this time.

When Boone was not in military service he would accompany groups as a guide on hunts that would have him away from home for very long periods of time. In the late 1760s, Boone began exploring Kentucky. At one point he was captured by the Shawnee who warned him not to return. In 1773 he did return with a group of settlers. Several people, including one of Boone's sons, were attacked, captured, and killed by a Delaware, Shawnee, and Cherokee war party that were tired of encroachment onto their lands. This was one of the causes of a conflict called Dunmore's war, a war between Virginian militia and native tribes led by the Shawnee over primarily Tennessee. After the warfare ended Boone established the Wilderness Road through the Cumberland Gap and established Boonesborough.

The American Revolution started in 1775. Daniel Boone spent the early part of the war protecting the Boonesborough area from tribes aligned with the British mainly the Shawnee. One event had him rescuing his daughter from a war party in 1776. Boone had his kneecap shattered in battle in 1777. In 1778 a hunting and foraging party led by Boone that was responding to food shortages due Native American raids, was captured by a Shawnee war party lead by Chief Blackfish. Because they were outnumbered, Boone had his party surrender. Blackfish was planning to attack Boonesborough but Boone convinced him that it would be best to wait until spring. He also promised he would surrender Boonesborough if Blackfish waited. Boone and some of his men were adopted by the Shawnee. In June 1778, Blackfish began putting together a war party to attack Boonesborough. Boone escaped and over the course of several days raced home to mount a defence of the town. Some of believed Boone was actually working for the British now and did not trust him. Despite this, Boone was able to defend the town against a siege. The siege started with a failed negotiation which lasted several days that turned violent due to a possible misunderstanding. The remaining days of the siege involved attempts at tunneling under the walls and burning the fort down. Eventually, they broke off the attack. Despite the defence of the town Boone was court marshaled, and while he was found not guilty he was very embarrassed by the ordeal.

After settling his family and many others in a new community called Boone's Station, helped with General George Rogers Clark's attacks against the Shawnee in Ohio in the Battle of Piqua, in 1780, resulting in the destruction of five villages. This stopped most Shawnee raids against colonial settlements. Months later though, while Daniel and his brother Ned were hunting, Boone's brother was killed by the Shawnee. Boone was also captured by men under the command of General Sir Banastre Tarleton while on his way to meeting to serve as a legislator, but was released.

In 1782 Boone was present at the Battle of Blue Licks. The colonial army walked into an ambush and were defeated by British and Native American forces, despite warnings from Boone. Daniel's son Israel was killed as they organizes the retreat. In November 1782, Boone joined General Clark and more than 1,000 on a campaign against the Shawnee. This was the last campaign of the American Revolution.

After the revolution, Boone joined Benjamin Logan in 1786 on a campaign in the Ohio country as part of the Northwest Indian War. This expedition resulted in the destruction of several villages, food supplies, and the death of a Shawnee chief; a result that angered tribes that were part of the Western Confederacy.

Daniel Boone tried his hand at a variety of businesses. He served in the Virginia state assembly, he ran a tavern, he as a surveyor, a horse trader, ran a trading post, and a land speculator. Finding things difficult Boone moved to Missouri in 1799, which was under Spanish control. After the United States took over Missouri due to the Louisiana Purchase, Boone was eventually able to sell his lands to pay off old debts. Boone died on September 26, 1820.