Evening star., 1925-10-12
"JOHNNY APPLESEEDS'' GRAVE
AT FORT WAYNE TO BE MARKED
Famous Character of Early History of U. S. Pushed
Into West to Plant Nurseries Before
Settlers Came Out.

The Chamber Of Commerce at Fort
Wayne, Ind, has instructed a COM
mlttee to locate, mark and make ac-
cessible to the public the grave Of
Johnny Appleseed. This action on
the part of the business men OF Fort
Wayne arouses public interest again
| in man whom Secretary Sherman
! once described as "one OF the most
striking figures this republic has ever
produced"
In 1847 a Representative from Ohio
on the floor Of the House Of Repre-
sentatives announced the death of
IAN old man who has done more for
the West than any other man Of his
era" He alluded to John Chapman,
popularly and affectionately known as
Johnny Appleseed. who planted or
chards and nurseries in the wilder
ness of Ohio and Indiana in advance
of civilization.
MeaEer knowledge Of Johnny Ap-
pleseed rests chiefly on tradition and
legend. He was born in Springfield,
Mass. in 1775.
Disappointed in Love.
Why John Chapman left his native
State to wander in the Western will
derness is one Of the mysteries of his
life. A tradition says it was dis
his neIshbors and friends and rela-
1ves In the old Bay State, and this
belief has the very faint support of
the TACT that Chapman never mar
red.
f1e appeared as Il wanderer In the
valley of the Potomac in 1893. The
following summer he was in western
iehnsyivania. One day in the Fall
OF 1890 woman living on the banks
or the Ohio River near Steubenyille
saw a crazy-looking craft floating
do"n the stream. 1t consisted of two
canoes lashed together, heavily loaded
with bags, and piloted by q bare
rooted. oddly dressed man wearing a
broad-brimmed hat.
IL was John Chapman with q cargo
OF apple seeds, which he had gathered
Iroin the cider presses OF Pennsvlya.
ma. lie told the woman he was on
MS way into the wilderness to plant
nurseries In advance Of the pioneers.
My mission in life," he told her, .is
10 nave apple trees ready for the set
TIERS when they come
physically Johnny Appleseed was a
man OF medium height and spare
bulld. Had 1t not been for his clown.
ish garments he would have been a
handsome man; but II was his con.
V1ctlon that man should not clothe
himself for show, but only to cover
his nakednesS. He was not an ignor.
ant or illiterate man; his converse ton
bore the marks Of the good training
and education he had received in his
youth. He was OF a meditative and
deeply religious turn Of mind, pro
Tossing himself d disciple OF Emman-
uel Swedenborg. whose teachings he
mad somewhat, perhaps unconscious
ly, modified to suit his own convic.
tions. Ills two missions in life were
TO make converts to his religion and
to plant apple trees in the wilderness
First Nursery In Ohio.
His first nursery, so far as known
was in narrow valley along the
Ohio. opposite what is now Wellsburg
W. Va. Later he penetrated the in.
terror Of Ohio, and for years his chief
field of operations was along the
Muskingum and it's tributaries He
went westward as far as eastern In
diana as civilization moved in that di
| rection. 1t Is estimated that this
eccentric man set out more than 10C
nurseries in the forest. Many of the
finest orchards in the early days OF
Ohio and Indiana were composed OF
i trees bought from Johnny Appleseed
| the patron saint Of American orch
ardists.
Equipped with an AK, hatchet and
a Virginia hoe, he would seek out a
protected spot among the trees near
a stream; there he would dig up the
soil until 1t was thoroughly pulver-
ized and plant several thousand apple,
peach and pear seeds. Then after
building n brush fence around the
infant nursery to keep away deer and
other grazing animals. the pioneer or
chardist would continue his journey
until he found another suitable place