Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-08-07

JOHNNY APPLESEED."
THE QUAINT PIONEER WHO PLANTED
ORCHARDS IN OHIO.

ORChAROS IN OHIO.
A Striking and Most Interesting Character
Who Was the Earliest Colporteur
North of the Ohio River-AnecdOtes Of
the Old Man.
One of the most striking and in fact in
teresting pioneer characters of $500 was
Jonathan Chapman, a man who, owing to
his odd occupation, was generally known as
"Johnny Appleseed" He made his first ap-
pearance in western Pennsylvania, coming
from Boston, Mass. He possessed a 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 1901 Chapman made his
way to ohio, at which time he appeared on
the borders of Licking creek lin what is
now known as Licking county, with horse
load of apple seeds, which he planted in
various places on and about the banks 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 in the spring of 1906 pioneer SET
tier of Jefferson county noticed a peculiar
craft with a 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
1oO6 until the time OF his death, which oc-
CURED in 1o4i, in 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
dashed together, transporting a load OF seeds
to the then western frontiers Tor the purpose
of planting them ON the most remotest verge
OF white settlements.
SCATTERING THE FRUIT SEED.
In following his favorite pursuit he
always kept on the outskirts of the settle
ments; cleaning spots in the loamy lands on
the banks OF streams, where he would plant
his seeds, place a slight Enclosure around the
ground, and then leave the place until the
trees had become sufficiently large to be
transplanted Settlers began to flock in and
open clearings. TO those who wanted an
orchard on their places, johnny would
furnish young trees He had no idea of
making any money out OF his occupation,
generally giving the trees away or selling
them for trite, such 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 a measure settled and
Supplieu WIFI apple UfeSS
Chapman's personal appearance was as
striking his character. He was a small
man, quick and restless in his motions; his
eyes were black and sparkled with a peculiar
brightness, while his hair and beard were
long and dark. lie never shaved and lived
the toughest life, often sleeping in the
woods ia preference to accepting the hospi-
tally of settler. His clothing was old
and ragged, being generally given him in
exchange tor apple trees He invariably
went barefooted, and frequently Travelled
miles through the snow that way. Only
once was he ever known to wear foot coy
ering of any kind a settler, who happened
to 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 to
he in greater neeed of footwear than he was
he 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 tbs author
He was very careful not to injure any ami
NAL, and thought hunting morally wrong.
Among the settlers he was always welcome
and he was treated with great kindness even
by the Indians, who regarded him as a
great medicine man"
VERY PECULIAR AND ECCENTRIC.
Chapman was peculiar and eccentric in
the extreme, as the few anecdotes which
give he.ow will illustrate On one cool
autumnai night, while lying by his camp
fire in the woods, he observed that the
mosquitoes flew i'll the blaze and were
burned johnny" who wore on his head
tin utensil which answered both as a cap and
a mush pot filled it with water ana quenched
the tire, and then remarked "God forbid
that should build 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 in the open air rather
than disturb The bear. He was one morn
ing in prairie and was bitten by an 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 l, in an ungoily |
passion, put the heel of my scythe on him |
and went home Some time after l went for |
my scythe, and there lay the poor fellow |
dead" An Inherent preacher was holding |
forth on 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 heaven"
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"
In 1S3e-thirt-seven years after his APP
pearance at Licking creek-"Johnnyn oh |
served that civilization and wealth were |
fast Transforming the wilderness of Ohio
into a 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
OF the wave OF settlement, he felt /
that his work was done in this region in
which he had labored so long He visited |
all the houses OF the settlers took solemn
farewell of every family, and turned his
steps further west, again to pursue his &C.
centric vocation. In the summer OF IS41, /
at the close of a warm day, after travelling /
twenty miles, he entered the house of a set /
tier in Allen county, Indiana, and was, as
usual, warmly welcomed Declining other
he lay down on the floor
for the night In the morning he was dead,
md thus ended the mission of a man who |
WAS both a benefactor and hero Chap
man il undoubtedly entitled to the fame of |
hainw The earliest colpOrtevr on the 'front.'
iars Of Ohio Columbus Cor. Cleveland
P1aindealer
The Yale alumni now have twenty -one
nssociations in a. many American cities
An Ocean Oil Well Discovered.