The eccentric "Johnny Appleseed" was born in Massachusette in 26 Sept. 1774. His real name was Jonathan Chapman, but from the fact that he always carried a load of apple seeds with him he derived the nickname of "Johnny Appleseed." He was a harmless old man, whose hobby was to travel from place to place along streams in the wilderness, and plant apple seeds. He traveled throughout Ohio, and even as far west as Illinois. The first orchard he planted in Ohio was on the farm of Isaac Stodden, in Licking County. He died in Allen County, Indiana, near Fort Wayne, 10 March 1845. Several of the first settlers of Paulding county remember of having seen him. Judge David Carey had an article regarding him in the Oakwood Sentinel, of 6 August, 1891, of which the following is an extract:
"He lived for others solely, so far as I remember him,denying himself all the comforts of life, unless it was the comfort of knowing that he was doing great and lasting good. He seemed proof against peril and empowered with ubiquity. The Indians considered him crazy, fed and warmed him, but never molested him as he traveled through their lands and up down streams; I may not be able to relate much that is new or old in regards to Johnny. When I was quite young, four or five years old. I remember he stayed at my father's house (Isaac Carey), clothed in rags, and shoes bound on his feet by strings to hold them on his feet and the piece of shoes from parting company.
He seemed as happy as a lark, and I might as well say here that he was full of exhortation and good words, a good supply of religious tracts that he distributed with a liberal hand in every cabin where they could read. Johnny was a follower and believer in Emanuel Swedenborg, and a member of the New Jerusalem church. Johnny, I remember, was not a believer in fire and brimstone combined and burning forever; for he said that he though that the worst part of hell would not be worse than smokey house and scolding women.But Johnny was a bachelor, and that may account for a part of that fling at the scolding women. My father, on one occasion, ask Johnny why he never married; he turned the subject by saying that in the world to come he should have a wife. He would not wear good clothes. My father at one time made him a present of a pair of shoes about as good as new, expecting he would put them on ; but no; he packed them in his bundle of valuable and packed them on,saying they were too good to wear, but they would make a fine present for some needy person. Johnny not only peddled apple seeds, but catnip, pennyroyal and hoarhound, and in that way these streams in the early day had these useful herbs. Johnny, if crazy, and I do not think he was, knew where to place his nurseries at the head of streams, and then, with a canoe loaded with apple trees, float down stream with a light pot or a tin pail on his head, stopping at the cabins and giving out seeds and selling, or pretending to sell, trees, as I think he but seldom, if ever, got much value for the same."
 |
| Isaac Carey's cabin, Paulding County,Ohio |
Judge David Carey 1891
No comments:
Post a Comment