My Genealogy Hound

Nathan Boone House, Home of Daniel Boone, Defiance, Missouri, photos

Nathan Boone House, Home of Daniel Boone, Defiance, Missouri, photo, front view

The Nathan Boone House near Defiance, Missouri which also served as the home of the famed frontiersman and explorer, Daniel Boone and his wife Rebecca Bryan during their last years. Defiance is in St. Charles County.

After a series of financial and legal difficulties in Kentucky, Daniel Boone and his family removed to Missouri in 1799 which at the time was under the rule of Spain. He lived here for the remainder of his life. Under an agreement with the Spanish, Boone received large grants of land and served as the "syndic" of the region which in effect was both judge and jury of all matters of the law brought before him. After living twenty years in Missouri, Daniel Boone died on September 26, 1820, at the home of his youngest son, Nathan Boone, located near Defiance, Missouri in St. Charles County. His body was then transported to the Bryan Cemetery near Marthasville, Missouri to be buried next his wife Rebecca who had died seven years previously. After lying at rest for twenty-five years, the bodies of Daniel and Rebecca Boone were removed from their graves in 1845 to be reburied at Frankfort, Kentucky where they remain today. Their are many who believe the wrong body was removed to Kentucky and that Daniel Boone is still buried in the nearby cemetery. See the Original Daniel Boone Burial Site concerning this controversy.

This large, four story home overlooking the Femme Osage Valley was built by Nathan Boone and Daniel Boone in the early 1800's to replace an earlier log structure that was built after their first arrival in Missouri. This solid house is built of native limestone with much of the interior constructed of walnut wood. In 1837, Nathan Boone moved his family further west to a much smaller home at Ash Grove in Greene County, Missouri where he died on October 16, 1856.

After passing through several hands, the Boone house fell into serious disrepair. By the 1930's it was being used primarily as a barn with hogs being housed in the basement area which had been the former kitchen and dining area of the home. A new owner recognized and appreciated the historical significance of the home and set about making much needed repairs and restoring the home to much of its original appearance. The Boone Home is now open for tours. The property also includes a number of additional historical buildings which have been removed to the property to create a historic village. See the additional photos below.

Nathan Boone House, Home of Daniel Boone, Defiance, Missouri, photo, back view

A view of the Nathan Boone Home as seen from the back. The basement level was the location of the kitchen and dining areas. See the additional photo below.

Judgement Tree, Daniel Boone, Defiance, Missouri, phot, Nathan Boone Home

The remains of the Judgement Tree, a large elm tree that once stood on the property. Under this tree, Daniel Boone would listen to and pass judgement on various legal matters brought before him under the legal authority given to him by the Spanish government that had jurisdiction over the area at the time.

The Original Burial Site of Daniel and Rebecca Boone, Marthasville, Missouri

Daniel and Rebecca Boone, final grave and tombstone, Frankfort, Kentucky

Additional Graves and Tombstones: Famous, Infamous and Otherwise

View additional Historic Homes of the Famous and Infamous

View additional historic photos and vintage postcards from Missouri

View additional historic photos and vintage postcards for other topics and states

Additional historic photos and vintage postcards (including multiple additional views for each location) will be added frequently so check back often. Our free weekly newsletter also announces new additions to the website. Subscribe to the free newsletter here.

Use the links at the top right of this page to search or browse thousands of family biographies, vintage maps and vintage postcards.

Follow My Genealogy Hound on Facebook: Follow me on Facebook