Daniel Boone was an American pioneer, frontiersman, and hunter. Born in Pennsylvania in 1735, he and his family moved to North Carolina when he was eighteen years old. He made many exploring trips into the wilderness.

Fun Facts

• In 1769, he headed west to explore what is now the state of Kentucky. During this time, he was captured repeatedly by Native Americans.
• He found passageways into the area, opening it up for other settlers. Congress gave him a tract of land for his service.
• One time, Daniel Boone was kidnapped by Indians and held captive for several months. A large sum of money was offered for his release, but the Indians refused. They liked his courage and his hunting skill so much that an old chief adopted him.
• The Indians watched him carefully so he wouldn’t escape, but treated him kindly. When he went hunting, they counted his bullets before he left and when he returned to see how much powder he’d used. He learned to use half the amount of powder to hunt turkeys, raccoons, and squirrels, saving some of it in case he needed it for a future escape.
• He learned that the tribe planned to attack a fort at Boonesborough. He had to find a way to warn the men at the fort.
• One morning, he went hunting and ran away, traveling 60 miles on foot in only five days to alert the fort.
• After the Revolutionary War, he settled on a farm in Kentucky. One day four Indians came to his farm, intent on capturing him. They found him in a barn drying tobacco. They held him at gunpoint. He asked for a bit more time to finish his work. Suddenly, he threw the tobacco leaves he was holding in their faces. While they were coughing and sputtering, he ran to his cabin to grab his gun and powder. The Indians left, knowing they’d been outwitted.

Questions and Answers

Question: What happened to Daniel Boone as he got older? Did he have a family?

Answer: Daniel Boone lived a quiet, happy life on his farm. He loved spending time in the woods and hunting. He did have a family, including his wife and 10 children, and he was known for his loving, tender manner with them. As he got older, he was honored as a strong and brave pioneer.

Learn More

Watch a video about Daniel Boone’s life.