The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1891-11-27
THE BEST OF TRAMPS.
Old Johnny AppIeseed. who Plant
Many Orchards.

NidIly OICIldluSs
One of the quaintest, queerest and most
original characters that ever trod the
trackless wastes of the western wilderness
was Jonathan Chapman, known as old
Johnny Appleseed. Pioneer, philosopher,
philanthropist and pomologist was he, tax.
ing no thought of himself and living for
others only. He would not. could he pre-.
vent it, suffer the slightest harm to be
done to the meanest of living creatures.
In the great western solitudes he led the
life of the primitive Christian, taking
thought only of the hour and letting
wise Providence look out for the future
He thought hunting morally wrong, and
he would let a mosquito sit on him and
suck his blood until the insect was satiated
to bursting.
This odd old man was the pioneer or
chard planter Of the west. For over TWEEN
ty years he wandered over the states OF
Indiana, Ohio, Illinois and Missouri, plant.
ing apple seeds and selling and giving
away the seedlings Many of the great
apple orchards of the west owe their origin
to Johnny Appleseed. Old Johnny was
born In Boston in i175 In 1901 he ap.
pesred In the territory of Ohio with load
Of apple seeds, which he planted in various
places in and about Licking Creek. The
first orchard originated by old Johnny was
on the farm OF Isaac Stodden, in what is
now Licking county, ..
II have often wondered why there was
such widespread ignorance Of old Johnny
Appleseed in the west," observed friend
Of the writer recently. Even among hor
ticulturists his name is scarcely known.
There certainly was no character any more
fully identified with the west than he in
his day"
Thus il is with all who have ever heard
anything Of the quaint old man. The won
der Is that his name is not a byword and
his history part OF the common school
curriculum OF the day.
HIS TIN POT HAT
The early western pioneers who knew
him but slightly considered old Johnny a
vagabond. From cursory observation II
would appear that their views were pretty
well founded. A more uncouth individual
1t would have been difficult TO fnd. His
garments were bundle of rags His shoes
when he wore any, could scarcely be held
on his feet by bits Of twine so dilapidated
and worn were they. His pinched and
grizzled features were covered by growth
of very shaggy beard. His hair was quite
long and very much faded by constant ex-
posure to wind and weather.
But old Johnny's crowning glory was an
old tin mush pot that had long handle
This battered old culinary utensil he wore
for a hat. When he was tramping through
the western forests the old man always
cooked his meals in the old mush pot. The
cravings Of hunger satisfied, he would give
the pot careful washing, put it on his
head and tramp on This was his practice
for over two decades The old pot
bright enough on it's inside, but it's exteri
was a sight to behold, so blackened a
battered was IL.
With all his uncouthness of personality,
however, old Johnny Appleseed had an in
tellect as keen as the most polished schol-
ars of the day. His ideas were far in ad
vance of mis- time. Those who have re
ceived personal impressions Of the old man
say that he was philosopher whose puri.
ty Of thought was as clear as perennial
spring and whose life was as simple as
that Of child.
WHY HE WAS so NAMED.
The name Johnny Appleseed was given
him by the early settlers with whom he
came in contact because he nearly always
carried a bag full Of apple seeds with him.
These seeds by infinite toll he gathered
from the cider presses among the Dutch
farmers In pennsylvania.
When a sufficient quantity OF the seeds
had been gathered old Johnny would load
the fruit Of his labor in a canoe and start
on q voyage down the Ohio river into the
great wilderness Of the west. In Indiana
and Illinois, wherever there was the faint
est suspicion of settlement, he went and
planted his apple seeds. Sometimes he
would select an open place in the forest,
hi. iudunanf falling him that ANNA day
the white man would be there The dis
covery Of fruit bearing apple trees in the
woods in these states has led many to be-
lieve that the apples are indigenous to the
soil.
When Indiana and Illinois became we'll
settled, old johnny extended his wander
inRs west Of the Mississippi river aud
planted his apple seeds on Missouri soil
In the wigwam of the Indian and the cabin
of the pioneer he was known and always
welcome. He must have made twenty
such annual trips az the one above de
scribed. When his seedlings became large
enough he gave them to the settlers or sold
them for food and clothes
soMK OF HIS PEcULIARITIEs.
One of the most peculiar characteristics
of old Johnny Appleseed was his religion.
He led simple, moral and harmless life.
He was the follower of the new church. a
Sweden borgian, and he never lost an op.
portunity to expound his doctrines He
carried with him always "a little bundle OF
tracts. These he distributed among the
early settlers on the border of civilization.
When he would make his return trips he
would take those tracts up and leave new
ones in their places. His advent in Ohio
In the early days created q sensation. The
simple minded people Of the towns and vii.
lages knew nothing but the old faith, and
their belief was strong in superstition.
Some thought he was crazy, and there.
fore treated him with compassion: Others
thought he was possessed Of n devil and
would not allow him TO enter their houses.
At this time, however, n member OF the
Baptist church Of Richland county, o., a
school teacher and the best read man I'm
the county, invited the strange pilgrim 10
his home. The Ohioan said afterward that
he found his guest 10 be one of the best
posted and most brilliant minded persons
that he had ever had the pleasure Of meet
ing.
Those who knew the old man say that
he was i'm constant fear of hurting sofne in