Daniel Carter Beard was an American author, illustrator, and naturalist. He illustrated several of Mark Twain’s books, but is best remembered as one of the founders of the Boy Scouts of America. Before BSA, “Uncle Dan” founded The Sons of Daniel Boone in 1905 based on American frontier crafts and skills. When Beard became National Scout Commisioner for BSA in 1910, the two organizations were merged.
Daniel Carter Beard was a close friend of Ernest Thompson Seton, whom he met in 1883, and together they were responsible for much of the “new” BSA program when it was founded. Beard was a believer in leading by example apparently because on February 15, 1915, at the age of 64, he earned his Eagle Scout. Prior to the establishment of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, Daniel Beard was the recipient of the only “gold Eagle badge”. It wasn’t until 1965 that adults over 18 were restricted from earning Eagle Scout. And Beard was not the only adult to earn Eagle Scout, nor the oldest.
“There is but one way to learn to do a thing and that is to do it.” – Uncle Dan
Daniel Carter Beard founded Troop 1 in Flushing, New York, which is believed to be one of the oldest continuously chartered Boy Scout Troops in the United States. He was also involved in organizing the Camp Fire Girls along with Ernest Thompson Seton, James E West, and others as a sister organization to BSA. Beard was awarded the Silver Wolf from the Scout Organization in 1924 and the Silver Buffalo from Boy Scouts of America in 1926.
"Uncle Dan" Often wore buckskins
Scouts and Beard Laying a wreath on Teddy Roosevelt's Grave
Daniel Carter Beard with Scouts - 1937
On Boy's Life Magazine
