Uncle Dan

Daniel Carter Beard was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on June 21, 1850 into a family of artists. In his youth he would explore and sketch nature. In 1883 he met one of is life long friends, Ernest Thompson Seton. He eventually became a writer for the American Boy’s Handy Book and also illustrated books for Mark Twain.

In 1905 he founded the Sons of Daniel Boone. Which was based on American frontier traditions. This would eventually merge with the Boy Scouts of America when it was founded in 1910. Uncle Dan would serve for 30 years as one of the first National Scout Commissioners. He also became the editor and also wrote a monthly column for Boy’s Life.

Uncle Dan became an Eagle Scout at the age of 64 on February 15, 1915.

Uncle Dan died on June 11, 1941 just after his 91st birthday. Thousands of people attended his funeral in New York where 127 Boy Scouts served as honor guard.