Daniel Boone; The End of the Legend

September 26, 1820…As a student of history and an avid Daniel Boone devotee, I simply could not let this day pass without paying homage to the man who arguably shaped the nation by helping to blaze the trail into Kentucky through the Cumberland Gap that led to the great influx of settlers seeking new lands and new adventure in what was then the untamed frontier. 

It is hard to imagine how different things might have been had Boone not visited Kentucky in 1767 with brother Squire, then returned with a party of five other men in 1769 on a two year expedition. Much happened between this trip and his return with family in tow in the autumn of 1772, but that is a story for another day… 

Over the years Daniel surveyed, claimed, & bought some 100,000 acres of land in Kentucky, but due to poor business instincts and a result of the chaotic nature of land speculation during that time, lost most of it and ended up deeply in debt. 

His last home in Kentucky, a one-room log cabin, was built along Brushy Fork in 1795 with son Nathan in present day Nicholas County. In 1799, growing increasingly disenchanted with Kentucky he and Nathan moved to Missouri to answer the call of the western frontier once again. 

 Daniel spent the remainder of his life in Missouri, and died there on September 26, 1820, with daughter Jemima and son Nathan at his bedside. His final words were “I am going, my time has come”. The legendary Daniel Boone had met his ultimate fate.

Blaine K. Price, Historian – Family Tree Nuts