24. Boone lost his lands in Missouri following its entry into the United States
In 1804, Missouri became a territory of the United States, and Boone lost his position as syndic and most of his land claims. He successfully petitioned Congress to restore his land claims, though the process took years and they weren’t restored until 1814. He then sold his Missouri claims to pay debts in Kentucky, where several warrants had been issued for his failure to appear in legal actions regarding his old Kentucky claims. Boone continued to hunt, fish, and trap for the rest of his life, including one trip in which he ranged as far as the Yellowstone River, if the stories are true.
Daniel Boone died in September 1820, at his son Nathan’s home in Missouri. He was buried next to his wife’s grave (Rebecca Boone died in 1813) near his daughter Jemima’s Missouri home. According to some, both were disinterred and moved to Frankfort, Kentucky, in 1845. Today, two states claim the graves of Daniel and Rebecca Boone, Missouri and Kentucky. Most of Boone’s descendants support the Missouri claim that he is interred in Old Bryan Farm’s graveyard. Kentucky claims he rests at Frankfort Cemetery.
Where do we find this stuff? Here are our sources:
“Simon Girty”. Article, Ohio History Central. Online
“Transylvania Purchase”. Michael Toomey, Tennessee Encyclopedia. Online
“Daniel Boone Court-Martial: 1778”. Buckner F. Melton Jr. Online
“George R. Clark”. Article, Ohio History Central. Online
“American Revolutionary War”. Article, Kentucky National Guard eMuseum. Online
“Boone: A Biography”. Robert Morgan. 2008
“The Women of Bryan’s Station”. Documentary, Kentucky Education Television, Online
“The Battle of Blue Licks”. James Graves, Military History Magazine. August 2002
“George Rogers Clark”. Article, Encyclopedia Virginia. Online