Tracing the Boones
Author Ballard to speak on book
about Rebecca Boone
Her appearance is part of the History Dinner Series
LA GRANGE, Ky. (April 2018) – In terms of 18th century history, not as much has been recorded or written about the life of women as it has men. Author Sue Kelly Ballard has changed that with her historical novel, “My Blessed, Wretched Life, Rebecca Boone’s Story.”
Motivated by many reasons to capture Boone’s life story in print, Ballard also wanted to show “Kentucky pioneer life through the eyes of a pioneer wife and mother and honor her contributions to the building of our nation.”
Rebecca Ann Bryan was born on Jan. 9, 1739, in Virginia to Joseph and Hester Bryan. She married Daniel Boone on Aug. 14, 1756, in North Carolina, her family having moved there when she was 10. She and Daniel had 10 children, nine of which lived to adulthood.
The couple came to Kentucky to settle Fort Boonesborough in 1775. By 1799 they had made their last move to Missouri. Rebecca died on March 18, 1813, at her daughter Jemima Boone Calloway’s home near Marthasville, Mo. She and Daniel’s remains were reinterred in Frankfort, Ky., in 1845.
Rebecca raised her children “in the turbulent times of early American and Kentucky history,” said Ballard. “Like her famous husband, Daniel, she had to have had great fortitude and courage. Her story just had to be told!”
Ballard will present a program about her book at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 19, at the Oldham County History Center. The program will take place in the Rob Morris Educational Building, 207 W. Jefferson St., in La Grange. Dinner and cash bar will be available.
“I spent two years doing research before I ever started writing,” said Ballard. “As was common in Rebecca’s time, there was little written about the women. There were, however, volumes written about Daniel Boone. He was an incredible man smack in the middle of so many adventures.”
She said she studied Daniel’s life “until I could then imagine what Rebecca must have been doing to raise her family with all of the challenges of the time.”
In addition, she visited many museums and historical sites associated with the Boones and early Kentucky settlers, such as Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, Fort Boonesborough State Park and Martin’s Station at Wilderness Road State Park. She also retraced Boone’ s Trace twice. Ballard also took in many re-enactments “Every bit of it was fascinating and the re-enactors were very dedicated and professional.”
Ballard also poured through book after book written about Daniel Boone. One of the best is “The Life of Daniel Boone” by Lyman Draper and edited by Ted Franklin Belue, she said. Draper took extensive notes and conducted countless interviews with the early pioneers, like Boone, which are known collectively as the Lyman Draper Manuscript Collection. Belue is a noted author and historian.
After reading Ballard’s book, she said many people comment that they “cannot believe how hard our ancestors had it. Looking back at our ancestors, we can see how fortunate our lives are in comparison. However, we have lost much of our appreciation and reverence for nature, which is not wise or to our credit.”
She went on to say that “every generation has had to face down terrible challenges. Rebecca and Daniel are remembered because of their bravery, resourcefulness and their love of each other and their children. They are good role models for those of us who came after.”
After folks read her novel, Ballard said she hopes people will “become immersed in this other world and time and enjoy the journey. I hope they appreciate the contributions of our pioneer women and men, but also understand the perspective of the native peoples, as well as that of the pioneers. I hope we modern people learn lessons of how to overcome and persevere from Rebecca and her family.”
Two years ago Ballard retired as professor emerita of chemistry from Elizabethtown Community and Technical College. She still teaches there part time.
According to family lore on her mother’s side, she is related to the Hayses, who descend from Rebecca and Daniel Boone through their daughter Susannah, who married William Hays in 1775. Both of Ballard’s parents descend from Revolutionary War veterans.
She is a member of the Board of Trustees of Bernheim Arboretum and Forest and on the Board of Directors for The Boone Society.
She is a member of the Filson Historical Society, Jacob Van Meter Chapter of the DAR, Bard’s Corner and Cherokee Roundtable writer’s group based in Louisville.
Ballard just recently won the American Heritage Commission National Award for “Women in the Arts Recognition Award in Literature & Drama Authorship” at the 122 annual State Conference of the Kentucky Society of Daughters of the American Revolution, held in Lexington, Ky. Out of 120 Kentucky counties, two awards were given for members of the Cherokee Roundtable – one to Ballard and the other to fellow author Mary Popham.
Popham had this to say about Ballard’s work: “Much has been written about the adventurous frontiersman Daniel Boone. Author Sue Ballard documents the life of Daniel’s wife, Rebecca Bryan Boone, a woman who deserves tribute for her role in carving new homes and new lives in the primitive and dangerous Kentucky wilderness.”
Popham said Ballard’s description of Rebecca’s day-to-day life “is accurate in each detail, from raising their many children, farming, and kitchen work, to her hourly prayers and waiting in loneliness for the return of her trailblazing husband. Ballard’s narrative voice takes hold of the reader from the first pages and sweeps us back to relive those earliest days of Kentucky history. This evocative book inspires admiration for Rebecca as a fine representative of our revered pioneer women whose bravery and strength established the way for following generations.”