Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1886-06-10
JOHNNY APPLESEED."
THE QUAINT PIONEER WHO PLANTED
ORCHARDS IN OHIO.

ORCHARDS IN OHIO.
A Striking and Most Interesting Character
Who Was the Earliest COiporteur
North of the Ohio River-Anecdotes of
the Old Man.
! One of the most striking and in fact in
terestlng pioneer characters of 1900 was
Jonathan Chapman man who owing to
his odd occupation, was generally known az
Johnny Appleseed He made his first ap-
pearance i'll western Pennsylvania, coming
/ from Boston, Mass He possessed strong
passion for raising and cultivating apple
trees from the seed, claiming that that was
the only proper way to plant an orchard.
! In the spring of leUl Chapman made his
! way to Ohio, at which time he appeared on
| the borders OF Licking creek an what is
| now known as Licking county, with ID horse
/ load OF apple seeds, which he panted in
various places OH and about the DanKS of
that stream There is no authentic account
of his movements during the five succeeding
years, although he was undoubtedly follow
ing the same strange vocation
Early i'll the spring OF 1906 a pioneer set
tier OF jefferson county noticed peculiar
craft with curious cargo and a remarkable
occupant moving down the Ohio river with
the current. 1t was johnny Appleseed,
10y which name Chapman was known from
1906 until the time or his death, which
CURED i'll lS41, III every log cabin from the
Ohio river to the great lakes on the north
and as far west as the present eastern
boundary of Indiana, with two canoes
lashed together, transporting "a load of seeds
TO the then western frontiers Or the purpose
Of planting them on the most remotesG verge
OF white settlements.
SCATTERING THE FRUIT SEED.
In following his favorite pursuit he
always kept on the outskirts of the settle
menA cleaning spots iii the loamy lands on
the Banks OF streams, where he would plant
his seeds, place Il slight inclosure around the
ground, and then leave the place until the
trees had Lecome sufficiently large to be
transplanted Settlers began TO flock in and
open clearlngs TO those who wanted an
orchard on their places, johnny" would
furnish young trees. He had no idea of
making any money out oil his occupation
generally giving the trees away or selling
them for rifle. such as an old coat or any
article Of which he could make some use.
In this way he proceeded for years until
the country was in measure settled and
supplied with apple tress.
Chapman's personal appearance was as
striking as his character. He was small
man, quick and restless i'll his motions; ms
eyes were black and sparkled with peculiar
brightness, while his hair and beard were
long and dark. lie never shaved and lived
the roughest life, often sleeping in the
woods in preference to accepting the hospi-
toll Of. iar ne .ln oil
and ragged being generally given him in
exchange ior apple trees. He invariably
went barefooted, and frequently travelled
miles through the snow that way. Only
once was he ever known to wear foot COW
ering of any KIND. A settler, who happened
10 own pair shoes that were too small for
his own use, forced them upon Johnny"
who reluctantly put them on. The next day
johnny" overlook a barefooted family
moving westward, and as they appeared 20
be in greater neeed of footwear than he was
ne gave them the shoes.
He was follower of Swdenborg, took
no thought of the morrow and led a moral,
blameless life 1t was his custom TO circu-
late Swedenborgian works wherever he
went, and if short of them would tear a
book into two or three parts,
giving each part TO different
persons. In that way he supplied
a neighborhood with religious literature,
although those to whom he gave the latter
part OF the book to read first, must have
found it difficult to comprehend the author.
He was very careful not to injure any ami
mai, and thought hunting morally wrong.
Among the settlers he VAS always welcome,
and he was treated with great kindness even
by the Indians, who IL lried him as a
great medicine man"
VERY PECULIAR ID ECCENTRIC.
Chapman was pecdL.r and eccentric in
the extreme, as tie Lew anecdotes which J
give below Will ILLUSTRATE On one cool
autumnal night, while lying by his camp
fire in the woods, he observed that the
mosquitoes flew in the blaze and were
burned Johnny" who wore on his head
tin utensil which answered both as cap and
a mush pot, filed it with water and quenched
the fire, and then remarked, "God forbid
that should build "a fire for my comfort
that should be the means of destroying any
of His creatures" Another time he made
his camp fire at the end of hollow log, in
which he intended to pass the night, but
finding it occupied by a bear and her cubs,
he removed his fire to the other end and
slept ON the snow i'll the open air rather
than disturb the bear. He was one morn
ing i'll a prairie and was bitten by rattle
snake. Some time after "a friend inquired
about the matter. Johnny drew long
sigh and replied Poor fellow he only
just touched me, when /, in an ungodly
passion, put the heel of my scythe ON him
and went home. Some time after | went for
my scythe, and there lay the poor fellow
dead. An Inherent preacher was holding
forth the public square in the present
city of Mansfield, and during the course of
his remarks exclaimed: "Where is the bare
footed Christian travelling to heavenp
Johnny" who was lying on his back on
some timber, taking the question in its
literal sense, raised his bare feet in the air
and vociferated, Here he is.n
In 1s3s-thrt-seven years after his APP
pearance at Licking creek-~Jo Johnny" OBJ
served that civilization and wealth were
fast trans. .orming the wilderness of Ohio
INTO densely populated state Churches
were making their appearance, and the
stage drivers horn broke the silence OF the
forests, and as he had always kept just in
advance of the wave OF settlement, he felt
that his work was done in this reg on in
which he had labored so long. He visited
all the houses of the settlers took a solemn
farewell of every family, and turned his
steps further west again to pursue his &C.
centric vocation. In the summer o. 1S41,
at the close of a warm day, after travelling
twenty mics, be entered the house of set
tier in Allen county, Indiana, and was, as
usual, warmly welcomed. Declining other
accommodation, he lay down OF the floor
for the night In the morning he was dead,
and thus ended the mission of a man who
was both benefactor and a hero Chap
man is undoubtedly entitled to the fame of