Mackinac Bridge

Mackinac Bridge
Mackinac Bridge, taken from the ferry on the way to Mackinac Island.

Saturday, October 5, 2024

"Finding Daniel Boone" by Ted Franklin Belue

I read "Finding Daniel Boone:  His Last Days in Missouri & the Strange Fate of His Remains" by Ted Franklin Belue and I really enjoyed this one.

Most people in Kentucky and Missouri learn in elementary school that the remains of Daniel Boone and his wife were moved from Missouri to Kentucky years after his death.  Very briefly, some people from Frankfort hoped to sell some plots in their cemetery by getting Boone reburied in the state.  Through some slick talking (and promise of a new, grand memorial) they convince Missouri to let the remains go.

As the story progressed, a rumor starts that, instead of taking Daniel's remains, the remains of someone else were taken.  The rumor does reek of racism, as the story involves slaves, and Kentucky taking the remains of a black man instead of Daniel.  Also, multiple stories lead to this rumor, including confusion about where is grave was, and deception in other stories.

Many know the basics of the story, but Belue gets credit for tracking down the sources of the legends...  He tracks down who said what, and when.  He finds two source descriptions of the coffins (that are different).  He also tells how the transfer happened, and he paints a picture of the crowded city of Frankfort, when Daniel and Rebecca Boone are buried again.

MORE INPORTANTLY, he covers the fact that a cast and copies of parts of Daniel's skull were made.  He gets opinions from experts about whether or not the skull could have come from an elderly Caucasian. 
 

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