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Part of the 1/2 mile stretch of Daniel Boone's original Wilderness Trail (Road) that remains today as it appeared on 3 Jul 2000 as I hiked through the Cumberland Gap! Ebenezer Park and Tabitha Mills (My 5th GGP) followed Daniel Boone out of Salisbury, NC (married there 6 Jan 1772) where the trail originates, in 1796 with their 10 children on horseback enroute to Kentucky. My research finds 4 reasons for Eb and Tab's migration to KY from NC:
(1) Beauty and promise of new fertile lands for their children following Boone's exploration.
(2) Eb was being ordered to build a road in Rowan County that would come to close to his land. I believe he stood steadfast on this perceived intrusion and was not about to be a part of its
construction which preceded his departure.
(3) Shawnee defeat was a key in the timing to make the hazardous journey north to Kentucky. ".....the defeat of the Shawnee at Fallen Timbers (Ohio) in August 1794 reduced the perils of the Cumberland Gap, through which also passed the War Road of the Indians, and gave added safety to the Kentucky settlements."
(4) The widening of the Wilderness Trail to accommodate wagons in 1796 (learned this as I explored Wilderness Trail on return from KY this past Summer)!
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