The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-09-21
Tort Wdune

Johnny is said to have packed his meager per-
sonal belongings, walked down to the town
clerks Office where he left instructions that his
fathers cabin be given to the most needy family
In Springfield and started for the West
According to one story, Johnny was accompa-
MED west by half brother. CHS father is said
to have married second time and by this sec
ond wife had ten children, five boys and FIVE
girls. One of the boys was named Jonathan,
and some writer's evidently confuse him with
Johnny Appleseed, whom they call Jonathan
Chapman'0. But whether he was accompanied
by his half brother made the trip alone, he
seems to have reached Pittsburgh In 1894, estab-
hshed himself on farm there and planted
orchard. From that period in his life dated his
name Of Johnny Appleseed.
To emgrants, floating down the Ohio on their
way to new homes In the West Johnny Apple
seed became familiar figure. He would in
variably present each family with package
of apple seeds and urge them to plant them
as soon as they had found their new homes in
the West AS there were not enough seeds on
his place to supply all the pioneers. Johnny
went from farm to farm to buy more. His
farmer friends regarded him as somewhat
queer" but the emigrants were glad enough to
receive his offerings. In 1899 Johnny appeared
as wanderer in the valley of the Potomac In
the summer Of 1900 he was again In western
Pennsylvania
In the fall of 1900 woman living on the
banks of the Ohio river near what is now the
city of Steubenville saw a crazy-looking craft
floating down the river. It was made Of two
canoes dashed together and heavily laden with
bags. On top of them sat Withholding man,
clad in ragged clothes and wearing a broad
brimmed hat. 1t was Johnny Appleseed and
the bags contained little seeds which he had
gathered from the cider presses of Pennsyl-
vania He starting out as the advance
guard of the wave of pioneer settlement which
was pouring into the fertile Ohio valleys.
Johnny's idea to plant his apple seeds so
that the trees would be growing when the set
tiers arrived.
The chronology of Johnnys life from this
point on is somewhat uncertain. 1t is known
that he established nursery at Marietta, Ohio,
and that he used this place the base for his
operations. He wandered from place TO place in
that state, planting his seeds and caring for the
trees already growing His travels carried him
into Indiana, and even to Illinois. where a
road leading into ST. Louis, there stood until
a few years ago orchard which he is said to
have planted.
Frequently he revisited the cider mills of
Pennsylvania and Ohio to get more seeds which
he would wash free of pulp, sort and sew into
deerskin bags. These bags he presented to emil
grants they continued to penetrate the far
Their regions of the rich Mississippi valley and
possessions Of descendants of the pioneers who
profted by Johnny's bounty. Occasionally word
drifted back to Marietta that the trees which
he had planted were not doing well. or that the
settlers, busy with putting in their food crop,
were neglecting to plant the apple seeds which
Johnny had given them, he would set out
again on his career Of Horticulture Evan
gelist"
Johnny started four nurseries In Ohio. They
were situated near the present cities of Mans
field. Ashland, Salem and Delaware He is said
TO have established than hundred sub
nurseries in various parts of the Ohio valley
and there Is no way of telling how many thou
sands of fruit trees he started during the course
of his 40 years Of wandering. AS Ohio began to
settle up he spent more and more of his time
farther west in Indiana and Illinois, and II is
more than likely that he crossed the Mississippi
into Missouri and that some of the orchards in
that state owe their origin to this queer genius
With nothing more than ak Ratchet and
hoe he would seek out protected spot among
the trees near stream and there dig up the
soil until it was thoroughly pulverized Then he
would plant thousands Of apple. peach and pear
seeds and build brush fence around the infant
nursery to keep away deer and other grazing
animals. When the settlers arrived they had only
to dig up the apple seedlings and replant them.
when they had established their homes to start
an orchard. Johnny planted other things besides