In Dan’l’s own words — Daniel Boone Commemorative Silver Half Dollar Coin

Today, the Daniel Boone Commemorative Silver Half Dollar Coin remembers the actions and adventures of the man 242 years ago.

After performing other work for the North Carolinian gentlemen, Daniel Boone undertook the blazing of a road through the wilderness.

On March 20, 1775, he and his party lost two men to an attack by the Indians.

But, the men persevered.

From Colonel Daniel Boone’s Narrative of the Wars of Kentucky found in the book, The discovery, Settlement and Present State of Kentucky, and an Introduction to the Topography and Natural History of that Country, by John Filson, published in London in 1793:

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I remained with my family on Clench until the sixth of June, 1774, when I and one Michael Stoner were solicited by Governor Dunmore, of Virginia, to go to the Falls of the Ohio, to conduct into the settlement a number of surveyors that had been sent thither by him some months before; this country having about this time drawn the attention of many adventurers.

We immediately complied with the governor’s request, and conducted in the surveyors, completing a tour of eight hundred miles, through many difficulties, in sixty-two days.

Soon after I returned home, I was ordered to take the command of three garrisons during the campaign, which Governor Dun-more carried on against the Shawanese Indians: after the conclusion of which, the militia was discharged from each garrison, and I being relieved from my post, was solicited by a number of North Carolina gentlemen, that were about purchasing the lands lying on the south side of Kentucky river from the Cherokee Indians, to attend their treaty at Wataga, in March, 1775, to negotiate with them, and mention the boundaries of the purchase.

This I accepted, and, at the request of the same gentlemen, undertook to mark out a road in the best passage from the settlement through the wilderness to Kentucky, with such assistance as I thought necessary to employ for such an important undertaking.

I soon began this work, having collected a number of enterprising men well armed.

We proceeded with all possible expedition until we came within fifteen miles of where Boonsborough now stands, and where we were fired upon by a party of Indians that killed two, and wounded two of our number; yet, although surprised and taken at a disadvantage, we stood our ground.

This was on the twentieth of March, 1775.

Three days after, we were fired upon again, and had two men killed, and three wounded.

Afterwards we proceeded on to Kentucky river without opposition; and on the first day of April began to erect the fort of Boonsborough at a salt lick, about sixty yards from the river, on the south side.

On the fourth day the Indians killed one of our mea.

We were busily employed in building this fort, until the fourteenth day of June following, without any farther opposition from the Indians: and having finished the works, I returned to my family on Clench.

In a short time I proceeded to remove my family from Clench to this garrison; where we arrived safe without any other difficulties than such as are common to this passage, my wife and daughter being the first white women that ever stood on the banks of Kentucky river.

On the twenty-fourth day of December following we had one man killed, and- one wounded, by the Indians, who seemed determined to persecute us for erecting this fortification.

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The Daniel Boone Commemorative Silver Half Dollar Coin shows with an image of the monument honoring the man in Cherokee Park near Louisville, Kentucky, circa early 1900s.

Daniel Boone Commemorative Silver Half Dollar Coin