Daniel Boone

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Boone)

A typical dictionary definition of a hero states that a hero is a person who shows distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.  Daniel Boone certainly fits this definition of a hero, but he has other qualities that I admire as much as those in dictionary definition.  Daniel Boone was a pioneer in early America for his exploration and settlement of modern day Kentucky.  He fought with the local militia in the Revolutionary War, and founded one of the first English speaking settlements west of the original thirteen colonies.  Daniel Boone was a hard worker, he was resourceful in his ways, and he had a never give up attitude.  In my mind, it is these qualities as much as those in typical dictionary definition that make him my first true American hero.

(http://www.earlyamerica.com/lives/boone/portrait.html)

Daniel Boone was a hard worker in all aspects of his life.  He was not a tall man, but he had broad shoulders and a broad chest.  He was quick and strong, and had great endurance and calm nerves.  The lifestyle he lived was difficult for him and his family.  He was often gone for weeks or months at a time on hunting trips, returning to sell the furs he had gathered on his expedition to care for his family.  Boone had a large family, and he wanted to be close to them.  Boone had heard about the fertile land and good hunting west of the Cumberland Gap, so he brought his family and other families west.  Daniel Boone was a patriot and a brave soldier.  During the Revolutionary War, Boone became a captain of the local militia.  His militia mostly fought against the Indians who were allied with the British.  In 1778, Boone was captured by Shawnee warriors and later was adopted to their tribe, which was common for the time.  However, when he learned the Indians were going to attack his hometown, he escaped and made a long trip back, five days on horseback and three days walking to warn the town's residents.  Boone's life was filled with these kinds of exploits and demonstrates that he loved his lifestyle and all the hard work that was necessary to live it.

Despite lacking a formal education, Daniel Boone used his wits and skills and was very resourceful.  He demonstrated some of that resourcefulness as he got older.  He was a good hunter, and easily lived off the land as he loved being in the wilderness.  When his eyesight weakened to where he could not shoot accurately, he would set traps instead.  His resourcefulness allowed him to keep on hunting and supply his family.  To supplement his hunting, Boone at one point opened a store in Ohio.  He would work the store, did surveying, and often worked on prisoner exchanges with the native Indians.  Boone was often judged as being illiterate, but this was not the case.  He learned to read and would often take books with him on his expeditions.  He was usually the most literate person in the hunting party and would read stories to the party in the evening over a campfire.  His resourcefulness allowed him to live a comfortable life far from the settled colonies and raise a family and manage his life.

(http://www.kentuckytourism.com/explore)

Daniel Boone had a single-mindedness about what he wanted to accomplish.  He never gave up once he started something.  When blazing those first trails into Kentucky, even with constant attacks by the Indians, he kept going.  His determined nature helped him to achieve his goals of settling in Kentucky when he founded Boonesborough in 1775.  Even after settling in Boonesborough, the Indian raids continued.  When Boone's daughter and two other teenage girls were captured by the Indians, Boone and a group of other men hunted the warriors for two days before his party ambushed the Indians and rescued the girls.  Boone acquired a lot of land in Kentucky, but he failed to get proper title and lost most of the land.  Nevertheless, he did not let that stop him from seeking his land.  In 1799, he accepted an invitation from the Spanish governor to move to Missouri.  The Spanish offered him an additional 8500 acres of land if he could get 100 new families to settle in the Missouri colony.  His never give up attitude allowed him to achieve this goal too and he received his land.  There were many obstacles in his life, but Boone never gave in to the situation and ultimately achieved his goals.

Being a hard worker, being resourceful, and never giving up are all qualities that make Daniel Boone a hero to me.  His bravery and leadership skills are obvious qualities that others measure him by, but the qualities I admire are the same ones that I see in anonymous heroes today.  I am inspired by Daniel Boone's accomplishments and patriotic heroism,  but I most admire his work ethic, his resourcefulness, and his determination.  I am proud that I am blood related to such a hero as Daniel Boone, as we are 6^th cousins (7x removed) and share a common great grandfather.

Works Consulted

"Boone, Daniel." Britannica Biographies (2011): 1. Biography Reference Center. Web. 9 May 2012.

Harrison, Lowell H., and Harrison Lowell H. "Daniel Boone." Great Lives From History:  The Eighteenth Century (2006): 1.Biography Reference Center. Web. 9 May 2012.

Lofaro, Michael A. "Daniel Boone." American National Biography (2010): 1. Biography Reference Center. Web. 9 May 2012.

McGill, Sarah Ann. "Daniel Boone." Daniel Boone (2005): 1. Biography Reference Center. Web. 9 May 2012.

Sabb, David S. and others. "Daniel Boone." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 18 May 2012. Web. 17 May 2012. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Boone.