Simon Kenton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Simon Kenton
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Portrait of Simon Kenton from life.
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| Born | April 3, 1755 |
| Died | April 29, 1836 (aged 81) New Jerusalem, Logan County, Ohio
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| Resting place | Oak Dale Cemetery, Urbana, Ohio |
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Simon Kenton (also known as "Simon Butler") was an important United States frontiersman and soldier. He lived from April 3, 1755, to April 29, 1836. Simon was active in areas that are now West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio. He was friends with famous people like Daniel Boone and Isaac Shelby.
Simon Kenton served the United States in several wars. These included the Revolution, the Northwest Indian War, and the War of 1812. After facing many challenges, he was welcomed into the Shawnee people in 1778. Simon married twice and had ten children.
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Simon Kenton's Early Life
Simon Kenton was born on April 3, 1755, in Prince William County, Virginia. His parents were Mark Kenton, Sr., who came from Ireland, and Mary Miller Kenton. Her family had roots in Scotland and Wales.
In 1771, when Simon was 16, a difficult situation led him to leave home. He traveled into the wild areas of what are now West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio. For many years, he used the name "Simon Butler." Later, when he learned that the person he had fought was okay, Simon started using his real name again.
Simon Kenton's Adventures and Service
Simon Kenton was a skilled scout and soldier. He played a big part in the early history of the United States.
Scouting and Saving Friends
In 1774, Simon worked as a scout for European settlers. This was during a conflict known as Lord Dunmore's War against the Shawnee people. In 1777, he famously saved the life of his friend, Daniel Boone, at Boonesborough, Kentucky.
Fighting for Independence and Beyond
Kenton also served as a scout during the 1778 expedition led by George Rogers Clark. This mission aimed to capture Fort Sackville during the American Revolution. Even after the United States became independent, fighting continued. From 1793 to 1794, Kenton fought in the Northwest Indian War alongside General "Mad" Anthony Wayne.
Exploring and Settling Ohio
Simon Kenton began exploring the Mad River Valley in Ohio as early as 1788. He had seen this area ten years before when he was a prisoner with the Shawnee. He promised himself that if he survived, he would return. In April 1799, Kenton and his friend, Colonel William Ward, led families from Mason County, Kentucky. They settled in an area between today's Springfield and Urbana, Ohio.
War of 1812 Service
In 1810, Kenton moved to Urbana, Ohio. There, he became a brigadier general in the state militia. He served in the War of 1812 as both a scout and a leader of a militia group. He was part of the Battle of the Thames in 1813. This battle was where the famous Native American chief Tecumseh was killed.
Simon Kenton's Family Life
Simon Kenton married Martha Dowden, and they had four children together. After Martha passed away in a house fire, Simon married Elizabeth Jarboe. He had six more children with Elizabeth.
Before his first marriage, Simon had a son named Simon Ruth Kenton in 1773 with Christina Ruth.
Simon Kenton passed away in New Jerusalem, Logan County, Ohio, and was first buried there. Later, his body was moved to Urbana, Ohio.
After Simon's death, his widow Elizabeth Jarboe Kenton and some of their children moved to northwestern Indiana. They settled in an area that covered parts of Jasper, White, and Pulaski counties. Many families from Champaign County, Ohio, where Simon is buried, also moved to this area.
Places Named After Simon Kenton
Many places and things are named in honor of Simon Kenton.
- The town of Kenton in Hardin County, Ohio is named for him.
- Kenton County, Kentucky also carries his name.
- Simon Kenton High School in Independence, Kentucky is named after him.
- A statue honoring Simon Kenton stands in Covington, Kentucky's Riverside Drive Historic District. It overlooks the Ohio River.
- Simon Kenton Elementary Schools were named in Xenia, Ohio and Springfield, Ohio.
- The singer/songwriter Tyler Childers wrote a song called Middle Ground about Kenton's journeys.
- Simon Kenton Post #20 of the American Legion in Elsmere, Kentucky is named for him.
- Simon Kenton Road is a street in Prince William County, Virginia.
- The Boy Scouts of America have a group called the Simon Kenton Council, which covers parts of Ohio and Kentucky.
- In the Frontiersman Camping Fellowship of the Royal Rangers, Indiana has a group called the Simon Kenton Chapter.
- The Simon Kenton Memorial Bridge, built in 1931, crosses the Ohio River. It connects Maysville, Kentucky, and Aberdeen, Ohio.
- Ohio's Simon Kenton Trail is a 32-mile path from Springfield, Ohio to Bellefontaine, Ohio.
- The Simon Kenton Pub is a small bar in Warm Springs, Virginia.
- The Simon Kenton Inn near Springfield, Ohio, is a historic house built in 1828. It sits on land given to Simon Kenton by the U.S. Government around 1800.
