The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-07-01
JOHNNY APPLESEED.
The Quaint Pioneer Who Planted Or
chards in Ohio.

One of the most striking and in fact
interesting pioneer characters of 1900
was Jonathan Chapman, II man who,
owing to his odd occupation, was gen.
orally known as johnny Appleseed.
He made his first appearance in West
crn Pennsylvania, coming from Boston,
Mass. He possessed strong passion
for raising and cultivating apple-trees
from the seed, claiming that this was
the only proper way to plant an OF
chard. In the Spring of 1901 Chapman
made his way to Ohio, at which time he
appeared on the borders of Licking
creek Gn what is now known US Licke
ing county,, with horse-load of apples
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 suc=
ceeding years, although he was un.
doubtedly following the same strange
vocation.
Early in the Spring of 1906 a pioneer
settler of Jefferson county noticed Pc
culiar craft with a curious cargo and a.
remarkable occupant moving down the
Ohio river with the current. 1t vas
johnny Appleseed," (by which name
Chapman was known from 1906 until
the time of his death, which occurred
in 1S47, in every log cabin from the
Ohio river to the great lakes on tue
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 'front.'
iers for the purpose of planting them on
the remotest verge of white settlements
In following his favorite pursuit he ale
ways kept on the outskirts of the settles
ments; cleaning spots in the loamy lands
on the banks of streams, where he would
plant his seeds, place slight inclOsure
around the ground. and then leave the
place until the trees had become sutfi-
GENTLY large to be transplanted. Set
tiers began to flock in and open clear
ings. To those who wanted an orchard
on their place johnny" would furnish
young trees. HIS had no idea of maxi
ing any money out of his occupation,
generally giving the trees away or SELL
ing them for tritle. 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 . meas-
ure settled and supplied with apple
trees.
Chapman's personal appearance was
as striking as his character. He was o
small man, quick and restless in his mo-
tions; his eyes were black and sparkled
with peculiar brightness, while his
hair and beard were long and dark, lie
never shaved and lived the rQugbess
life, often sleeping in the woods in pref
erence to accepting the hospitality OF Q
sottler. His clothing was old and rag
ged, being generally given him in eHS
change for apple trees. He invariably
went barefootcd, and frequently traveE
ed miles through the snow in that why.
Only once was he ever known to wear
foot covering OF any kind. A settler.
who happened to own a pair of shoes
that were too small for his own use,
forced them upon johnny" who re-
luctantly put them on. The next day
johnny" overlook poor barefOoted
family moving Westward, and as they
appeared to be in greater need OF foot
wear than he was he gave them the
shoes.
He was follower of Swedenborg.
took no thought of the morrow, and led
u moral, blameless life. II was his GUS
tom to circulate Swedenborgian works
wherever he went, and if short Of them
would tear book into two or three
parts, giving each part to different pen
sons In that way he supplied neiga-
borhood with religious literature. al
though those to whom he gave the lat
ter part of the book to read first, must
have found it difficult to comprehend
the author. He was very careful not to
injure any animal, and thought hunting
morally wrong. Among the settlers he
was always welcome, and he was treat
ed with great kindness even by the In
dians, who regarded him as IA great
medicine man"
Chapman was peculiar and eccentric
in the extreme, as the few anecdotes
which | give below will illustrate. On
one cool Autumnal night, while lying
by his campfire in the woods, he OBJ
served that the mosquitoes flew in the
blaze and were burned. Johnny"
who wore on his head tin utensil
which answered both as a cap and r
mush pot, filled 1t with water and
quenched the fire. and then remarked,
"God forbid that | should build fire
for my comfort that should be the means
of destroying any of His creatures" An
other time he made his campfire at the
ed to pass the night, but, finding it oc-
cupied by bear and her cubs, he re-
moved his fire to the ether end and
slept on the snow in the open air rather
than disturb the bear. He was one
morning in a prairie and was bitten by
a rattlesnake. Some time after 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.
time after l went there for my scythe.
and there lay the poor fellow dead"
An itinerant 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
barefooted Christian travelling to heav-
enP' Johnny" who was lying on his
back on some timber, taking the ques-
ton in its literal sense. raised his bare
feet in the air and vociferated, Here
he is!''
In 1888 3S-thirty-seven years after his
appearance at Licking Creek-"John-
ny" observed that civilization and
wealth were fast Transforming the wild
erness of Ohio into a densely populated
State. Churches were making their ap-
pearance, and the stage-driver's 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 region in which
he had labored so long. He visited all
the houses of the settlers, took solemn
farewell of every family. aud turned his
steps further West again to pursue his
eccentric vocation. In the Sumuner Of
1S47, at the close of warm day. aftey
travelling twenty miles. he entered the
house of ii settler in Allen county, Ind,
and was. as usual warmly welcomed.
Declining other accommodation, be lay
down on the floor for the night. In the
morning he was dead, and thus ended
the mission of a man who was both
benefactor and hero. Chapman is
undoubtedly entitled to the fame of be-
ing the earliest colporteur on the front
iers of Ohio COlitmGus Letter to tie
CteUeLdHd Plain DcdlCr.