Simon Kenton - Swift - Kentucky

[The_Frontiersman]

Simon Kenton roamed the Kentucky Wilderness even before the more infamous Boone made his way from the Yadkin. I know that Boone supposedly knew of Swift's operations, which is plausible. He is also rumoured to have had a mine of his own that's still lost. Boone is credited with way more than he deserves, in my opinion. Swift is also said to have came down the Ohio to the Big Sandy. The spot where the Big Sandy empties into the Ohio River is known as Virginia Point, the point of land that divides Kentucky, West Virginia, and Ohio. During the mid 1760's Simon Kenton was exploring this far down the Ohio and had set up a good camp at Virginia Point. Kenton was so notoriously keen that he definitely knew everything and everyone attempting to brave the wilderness down this far, so he very well could have encountered Swift and his crew. At one point Kenton was also the most wealthy man in Kentucky... mainly from his early land claims... but could he not have had a mine of his own..?? I know that during that early, early period in Kentucky silver and money had no value, but after the Indian threat subsided and towns started to grow, all that changed.. Many early pioneers definitely spent their lives hunting for Swifts' riches but I just wonder if Simon Kenton may have had his hand in it somewhere.. it IS possible....
I just wish that Simon Kenton was praised for all his exploits the way Daniel Boone was hailed.. We give Boone all the Credit that Kenton deserved for sure... Just wanting to know some thoughts and opinions on this one...

Simon Kenton was a Bad - A$$



Casey

 

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[Curtis]

I loved the Frontiersman, it is one of the best novels ever written. In doing research it appears Ekart was right on in his narrative about him. How Kenton lived thru all that is a wonder to me. I live outside of Cincinnati in Batavia Ohio...come to find out Kenton and others chased after some Indians who had stolen horses from the settlers in Limestone (present day Maysville), he tracked them and had a minor skirmish near here on the East Fork of the Little Miami. Guess who the Indian leader was.....yep Tecumseh! Here is the story:

http://www.grassyrun.org/story.html

 

[The_Frontiersman]

I am also wondering if Eckert was right about James Harrod being murdered by an Indian not far from Chillicothe.. In some of the Swift lore Ive read that he perished hunting for the lost mines, but Eckert tells a different story.. I think he obtained most of his information from the Lyman Draper papers, but not all of it... I know he had to add his own details here to keep the story gripping, but Im thinking he found some info on Harrod that not too many people know of -- maybe... Do you guys have any information on this..?

 

[Brushy Bandit]

I agree Simon Butler was the guy Daniel Boone called for help when things got scary. But history forgot him, I think it's because Boone publicized his exploits more so than Kenton. Bragged a little more

 

[Rebel - KGC]

I ALSO think that the "Smith Mines" were a "ploy" to draw MORE ppl to settle in those areas.

 

[boomer]

Amen: Rebel, the truth will set Kentucky free.