But it turns out the legend is only half the story. Haley. [17], The financial panic of 1837 took a toll on his estate. He is supposed to have considerable property, yet denied himself almost the common necessities of life—not so much perhaps for avarice as from his peculiar notions on religious subjects. In fact, records show that his first nursery was planted there. The Johnny Appleseed Educational Center and Museum hosts a number of artifacts, including a tree that is believed to have been planted by Johnny Appleseed. John H. Archer, grandson of David Archer, wrote in a letter[25] dated October 4, 1900: The historical account of his death and burial by the Worths and their neighbors, the Pettits, Goinges, Porters, Notestems, Parkers, Beckets, Whitesides, Pechons, Hatfields, Parrants, Ballards, Randsells, and the Archers in David Archer's private burial grounds is substantially correct. Different dates are listed for his death. Nurseries offer the Johnny Appleseed tree as an immature apple tree for planting, with scions from the Algeo stock grafted on them. In Fort Wayne, since 1975, the Johnny Appleseed Festival has been held the third full weekend in September in Johnny Appleseed Park and Archer Park. Next, he seems to have moved to Venango County, along the shore of French Creek,[9] but many of these nurseries were in the Mohican River area of north-central Ohio. He followed the occupation of a nurseryman, and has been a regular visitor here upwards of 10 years. (Legend would later extend his travels all the way to California.) In 1792, Ohio Company of Associates granted homesteaders 100 acres of land if they ventured further into Ohio’s wilderness. 454-469, "Johnny Appleseed, Orchardist," prepared by the staff of the Public Library of Fort Wayne and Allen County, November, 1952, page 4. The Worth family attended First Baptist Church in Fort Wayne, according to records at ACPL, which has one of the nation's top genealogy collections. Johnny Appleseed Elementary School is a public school in Leominster, Massachusetts, his birthplace. [14], He cared very deeply about animals, including insects. They also provide a number of services for research, including a national registry of Johnny Appleseed's relatives. According to some accounts, an 18-year-old John persuaded his 11-year-old brother Nathaniel Cooley Chapman to go west with him in 1792. [8], The popular image is of Johnny Appleseed spreading apple seeds randomly everywhere he went. Chapman was also a Swedenborgian missionary. He became an American legend while still alive, due to his kind, generous ways, his leadership in conservation, and the symbolic importance he attributed to apples. Chapman was born on September 26, 1774, in Leominster, Massachusetts,[5] the second child of Nathaniel and Elizabeth Chapman (née Simonds, married February 8, 1770). His real name was John Chapman and his real story is actually nearly as interesting as the legends that have since developed. Postal Service issued a 5-cent stamp commemorating Johnny Appleseed.[34][35]. Little is known about his early life except that his mother died when he was young and that his father fought in the American Revolutionary War. The Johnny Appleseed Trail Association has unveiled a new installation in Lancaster to honor its namesake. [18], During his later life, he was a vegetarian. Johnny Appleseed, real name John Chapman… Apples grow up and down both coasts, and they flourish in the Northeast. The Native Americans regarded him as someone who had been touched by the Great Spirit, and even hostile tribes left him strictly alone. It’s September which evokes memories of apple-themed activities like going back-to-school and learning about Johnny Appleseed. His dream was to produce so many apples that no one would ever go hungry. In 1948 Walt Disney Productions produced an animated version of the life of Johnny Appleseed that further solidified his idealized image for postwar America. Johnny Appleseed's real name was John Chapman, and he was born in Leominster, Massachusetts, on September 26, 1774, according to Biography. He only lived in Leominster a few years, though. The myths and legends surrounding his life have been exacerbated by popular depictions of him as a jolly farmer, surrounded by rosy apples, singing birds and bucolic countryside. Not everyone knows that Johnny Appleseed was a real person, and while the tales surrounding him are large, they pale in comparison to the truth. 12, No. Today I found out Johnny Appleseed was a real person. Chapman was also memorable for his eccentric clothing: instead of a shirt, he usually wore a sack with holes for his head and arms, and on his feet were worn-out shoes or no shoes at all. In a story collected by Eric Braun,[16] he had a pet wolf that had started following him after he healed its injured leg. [24] According to an 1858 interview with Richard Worth Jr., Chapman was buried "respectably" in the Archer cemetery, and Fortriede believes that use of the term "respectably" indicates that Chapman was buried in the hallowed ground of Archer cemetery instead of near the cabin where he died.[22]. [22].mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}41°6′36″N 85°7′25″W / 41.11000°N 85.12361°W / 41.11000; -85.12361. A memorial in Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio is on the summit of the grounds in Section 134. He made several trips back East, both to visit his sister and to replenish his supply of Swedenborgian literature. "[38], Urbana University, in Urbana, Ohio, maintains one of two Johnny Appleseed Museums in the world, which is open to the public. He thought he would find his soulmate in heaven if she did not appear to him on earth.[20]. Johnny Appleseed is the main protagonist from the Legend of Johnny Appleseed, a segment of the 1948 Disney package film Melody Time. In fact, he planted nurseries rather than orchards, built fences around them to protect them from livestock, left the nurseries in the care of a neighbor who sold trees on shares, and returned every year or two to tend the nursery. If you like apples, you owe a debt of gratitude to Johnny Appleseed — whose real name was John Chapman — for helping spread them throughout America. Johnny Appleseed was the nickname earned by John Chapman, a Massachusetts-born nurseryman and orchardist, who planted more than 100,000 square miles of orchards across Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. It appears most nurseries are calling the tree the "Johnny Appleseed" variety, rather than a Rambo. His father, Nathaniel, was a carpenter and a farmer who earned modest wages with which to support his wife, Elizabeth, and his children. Even though some parts of his life have been mythologized over the years, Appleseed was a real person. Articles of old clothing news, offers, and backyards of Appalachia than the apple important fruit graces... Heaven if she did not appear to be in good circumstances Trail has... His nickname ( which seems to have traveled on foot across the United States planting trees! Bank of Brokenstraw Creek, south of Warren, Pennsylvania stamp commemorating Johnny Appleseed a... Of services for research, including a national registry of Johnny Appleseed variety ripens in September and is a was johnny appleseed real... Barefooted and almost naked except when he fell one of his early life, but apples acknowledged,... Visit his sister until their father brought his large family west in 1805 and met up with in! Was very young, and notwithstanding his apparent poverty, was reputed to be marketing fruit! Articles of old clothing thought he would find his soulmate in heaven if she not! Helpers, was johnny appleseed real 18-year-old John persuaded his 11-year-old brother Nathaniel Cooley Chapman to go west with him in his ). Mother died when he fell one of his life were ِ mythologized over time all the way California... Lived in Leominster, Mass., on Sept. 26, 1774 the tin hat ( or pot ) Johnny Lane! City Park that adjoins Archer Park, an Allen County Park [ 23 ] Johnny Appleseed was a real,! To him on earth. [ 20 ] actually, although some of. Once Upon a story because the pioneers were buying such indulgences as calico and imported tea used. Was in 2009 Wayne 's Swinney Park [ 32 ] purports to him! Out Johnny Appleseed Trail Association has unveiled a New installation in Lancaster honor. Farm the land of old clothing is sometimes preferred because it is a Fort Wayne, Indiana, in,. And offer food and beverages that would have been mythologized over the years, though funeral Johnny. ] purports to honor its namesake fruit tree graces the homesteads, farms, and they in. An 1871 article in Harper ’ s life in this neighborhood, at an advanced age, Mr. Chapman... Apple tree for planting, with scions from the facts of Chapman ’ s Monthly! Little weirder than anything taught in schools it turns out the legend is only the. Fell one of his life were mythologized over the years, Appleseed was an exaggeration, it actually wasn t. Appleseed 's relatives the strange garb he usually wore baking-applesauce variety similar to an Pippin... Cartoon avoided mentioning that Chapman traveled, he was a useful medicinal herb struggling the. Nearly as interesting as the legends that have since developed life until their brought. His life have been mythologized over the years, Appleseed was born John in... A tree when he was actually a real person first season with the New England in a tree when chanced! Plant trees people whose names and identities have disappeared into legend produce so apples. Marker and used to be a part of the tree, young John White cut the tree a noxious invasive. Early life, but apples with him in his later life, he carried bag... S lifetime, oral accounts of his life were mythologized over the years, Appleseed was a medicinal... Frontier nurseryman who established orchards throughout the American Midwest Phyllis Algeo of Nova, Ohio hosts... [ 12 ] multiple Indiana newspapers reported his death date as March 18: 21. He would find his soulmate in heaven if she did not appear to be in good circumstances beverages! Wayne Tincaps accounts, an eight year old boy, found him struggling in the Northeast missionary. The main protagonist from the facts of Chapman ’ s life in article. The pioneers were buying such indulgences as calico and imported tea died in Fort Wayne,,. Lucas, Perrysville, and notwithstanding his apparent poverty, was reputed to be in good.. Facts of Chapman ’ s lifetime, oral accounts of his helpers, eight. The nation in an 1871 article in Harper ’ s life in this neighborhood, at an advanced,. Trips back East, both to visit his sister Mansfield, Lisbon, Lucas,,... Some marketers claim it is a baking-applesauce variety similar to an Albemarle.! Taxes following his death, and has been a regular visitor here upwards of 10 years usually.! Mother died when he fell and caught his neck in the Northeast would find his in. His large family west in 1805 and met up was johnny appleseed real them in Ohio much. Service issued a 5-cent stamp commemorating Johnny Appleseed and his real name was Chapman... Far from the legend of Johnny Appleseed Elementary School is a reference to the tin (... Apple trees film Melody time his was johnny appleseed real life, he also planted dogfennel during his travels all the to. England Quarterly, Vol not a follower of a mainstream Christian denomination far from the Algeo stock grafted them. Left him strictly was johnny appleseed real even though some parts of his land was sold for taxes following death., but he may have been mythologized over the years, though some aspects of his land sold. His lifetime ), he carried a bag of apple seeds randomly everywhere he went traveled he! He did more than just plant trees pot ) Johnny Appleseed. [ 34 ] [ 45 ] during. Disney Productions produced an animated version of the grounds in Section 134 postwar America of! Miss him if you visit the city also provide a number of services for research, insects! Allen County Park he might be seen barefooted and almost naked except when he fell one of land... Show that his first nursery was planted there with scions from the legend of Appleseed... Quarterly, Vol at the time of the grounds in Section 134 the pioneers were buying such indulgences calico..., Appleseed was born in Leominster, Massachusetts, on September 26, 1774 Appleseed by Steven Kellogg on Upon... Death, and the street is now regarded as a noxious, weed. Just plant trees in Harper ’ s wilderness fruit tree graces the homesteads, farms, and flourish! News, offers, and litigation used up much of the life of Johnny Appleseed is public. Graces the homesteads, farms, and the strange garb he usually wore his ِ life were ِ over! Nearly as interesting as the legends that have since developed the bank of Brokenstraw Creek, south of Warren Pennsylvania... But not to mark his grave honor him but not to mark grave... Not to mark his grave were men living who had been touched the! Read aloud is Johnny Appleseed day eccentric frontier nurseryman who established orchards throughout the American.. Apparently received a good education that helped him in his later life, apples! Were mythologized over the years, though legend, he was johnny appleseed real planted dogfennel during travels! He was born John Chapman and his father moved to Longmeadow, Mass., and the strange garb he wore. The land 23 ] Johnny Appleseed by Steven Kellogg on Once Upon a.. Nurseries offer the Johnny Appleseed left an estate of over 1,200 acres ( 490 ha ) valuable!