The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1879-02-06
Johnny Appleseed.
THE STRANGE LIFE STORY OF A FORES.
PILL. IA NlnII RAPIcn

THE STRANGE LIFE STORY OF A FOREST
PHILANTH ROPIST.
Correspondence of the N. Y. Post]
ASHLAND, Ohio, Jan "a, 1879.
The immense apple crop of this part Of the
state of Ohio during the last season, serves
to recall the life of its pioneer nurser lyman,
whose memory is yet green in the minds Of
many of the Oldest settlers AS hero OF en-
durance that was voluntarially assumed, and
reaped by posterity, the name of Jonathan
Chapman, better known as Johnny Apple
seed, deserves perpetuity beyond that Off
generation of lesser lights passed in the
glare and romance of the tomahawk and
scalping-knife period. Few men so unpre-
tending have been so extensively useful in
their day and generation. The evil that he
did, if any, died with him the good lives
after him, bearing annual fruit over an area
of one hundred thousand square miles, ex-
northern lakes. Many of the best orchards
OF this and adjoining counties ale from trees
which had their first growth in his forest
nurseries. The writer looks from his win
dow upon long rows of apple trees trans
planted from Johnny's nursery near the cid
Indian Green Town.
AN APOSTLE OF APPLE CULTURE.
Jonathan Chapman was born in Boston
about the year 1875. How he drifted from
that point to the wiIds of Western Pennsyl-
vania, where he was first known to have in
dulged his peculiar monomania for the plant
ing of apple trees in the wilderness, is not
known. The rapid settlement of that part
OF the country, however, SOON drove him
further westward. In 1901 he entered the
Territory of Ohio with horse load of apple
seeds, gathered from the cider presses Of
Western Pennsylvania; coming first to Lick
ing county, and planting his seeds in many
fertile spots on and about the banks of Lick
ing creek. For the next five years he disap.
peared, passing the period, doubtless, in the
establishment of other nurseries in differ
emit quarter. In 1906 he was seen by pio-
neer settler of jefferson county, drifting
slowly down the Ohio River in two canoes,
lashed together, and loaded with apple seed.
These he was transporting westward, for the
purpose OF creating orchards upon the fur
thest Verge Of white settlement. Entering
the Muskingum River at Marietta, he passed
by various tributaries to the head OF naviga-
ton in this county. Still region of forest.
crowned hills and green valleys, and pos
sessing romantic beauty which railroads
| and bustlpg towns and cities have not served
to obliterate, the wild surrounding and pri-
NAL silence of the veritable wilderness must
have been tenfold more picturesque to the
eyes of Appleseed in those early days.
| In this instance, as in others afterwards,
Johnny selected the most fertile spots in the
rich loamy grounds on the banks OF the
creeks for his purpose !; planting often as
high as sixteen bushels of seed to the acre,
and enclosing the grounds with a slight fence
or guard of brush. He then left the place
until the trees had in measure grown
The old settlers describe the margins of the
streams upon which these early nurseries
were planted as thckly covered over with a
low matted growth of timber, while near
the waters edge a rank mass of long grass
interlaced with morning glory and wild.pea
vines, among which dropping willows and
clustering elders stood like sentinels on the
outpost OF civilization.
| How JOHNNY DID HIS WORK.
The canoe voyage of 1906 seems to have
been the only occasion upon which Johnny
adopted that method Of transportation, a.!
his other journeys having been made on foot
over the old trail leading from Fort Du
quesne to Detroit by way of Fort Sandusky
known as s'the second route through the
wilderness Of Ohio. Having planted one
stock Of seeds, he would return to Pennsyl
vania for another, gathering them from the
cider-presses at different places. These seed
he conveyed to their destination in rude
eathern bags, in place OF linen ones, TIN
dense growth of underbush and brars en-
eountered upon the way making the use
some more durable fabric necessary. Some
times the bags found transportation on tn
back OF an aged or broken down hors
which their owner had mercifully rescueI
from harder usage, but more frequently OF
his own sturdy shoulders. A long and toll
some journey it was bu: Johnny, impelle
in his eccentricities by some gnawing miser
of the heart which could only find relief II
lncessant motion, o. actuated by his philan
z thropic monomania alone, unllesitatingl