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| John Chapman |
He
was born John Chapman on September 26, 1774, but he became a folk hero who was called "Johnny Appleseed."
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| Tending the Orchard |
Chapman
grew up in Longmeadow, Massachusetts, the son of a farmer. During his teens, he
apprenticed as an orchardist and nurseryman, thus beginning his life-long
interest in apple orchards.
While
the legend has Chapman spreading apple seeds on the ground as he walked, he
actually planted nurseries. He would fence the trees and leave a local farmer
in charge of tending them, coming back every couple of years to check on
them.
Chapman’s
first nursery was planted south of Warren, Pennsylvania. At the beginning of the
19th century, he moved west into Ohio, taking with him apple seeds he
had gathered from cider presses throughout Pennsylvania.
Those
seeds grew into trees, and many times the fruit was not picked for tasty apples
to be made into pies, but to be fermented into hard cider and
applejack. Chapman sold his two-year-old apple trees to settlers throughout the region for six cents a tree. When a family could not pay, many times Chapman
would give them the seedlings. His kind nature earned him the moniker, “Johnny
Appleseed.”
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| Johnny Appleseed |
Chapman
traveled throughout Ontario, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, for more
than 40 years, planting orchards and selling apple trees. He also took time to
educate local farmers on how to plant nurseries, and how to tend the orchards.
Chapman
was also a member of the Church of New Jerusalem, a pacifist sect that believed
in simple living. He preached that God and nature were entwined. It was said
that he dressed in sacks he had fashioned into clothing, and wore a metal pot
as a hat, which he could also use for cooking. Chapman advocated that animals
should be respected, and was one of the first known vegetarians.
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| Harper's Weekly |
Native
Americans believed that the Great Spirit guided Chapman, and he was welcomed
into many tee pees to share his knowledge, and preach his Gospel.
The
legend of "Johnny Appleseed" came about when W.D. Haley wrote in colorful prose about Chapman’s life,
spreading apple seeds across Ohio for “Harper’s Weekly” in 1871.
John
Chapman died of pneumonia on March 18, 1845 – 171 years ago, at the home of a
friend. On his death, “Johnny Appleseed” left over 1,200 acres of nurseries to
his sister, including 15,000 trees located in Allen County, Indiana.
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| Johnny Appleseed - Spring Grove Cemetery |
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| John Chapman's Grave |
John
Chapman aka “Johnny Appleseed” was buried near Fort Wayne, Indiana, but
numerous markers and monuments have been erected throughout the Midwest in
celebration of the man, and his life’s work.
~ Joy
