Sheltowee, Son of Blackfish – 8×10 Ceramic Tile

Sheltowee, Son of Blackfish
The Adoption of Daniel Boone, 1778
48 × 60 inches • Oil on Canvas

In February 1778, Daniel Boone was captured by Shawnee warriors while gathering salt along the Licking River in Kentucky. Rather than being taken as a prisoner of war indefinitely, Boone was brought to Old Chillicothe, where Chief Blackfish chose to adopt him into his family. During the adoption ceremony, Boone was given the Shawnee name Sheltowee, meaning “Big Turtle,” symbolizing his rebirth as Blackfish’s son and a full member of the tribe. Boone lived among the Shawnee for several months, developing a genuine respect for Chief Blackfish and affection for the two young women who became his adoptive sisters, both of whom are portrayed in this painting. Fearing an impending attack on Boonesborough, Boone ultimately escaped to warn the settlement, ending his time with the Shawnee but never forgetting the kindness and dignity with which he had been treated.

Commissioned by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine for Great Council State Park, this painting commemorates one of the most remarkable and complex relationships in early American frontier history, illustrating a moment when family, diplomacy, and humanity transcended the boundaries of two very different cultures.

Great Council State Park | Ohio Department of Natural Resources