Johnny Appleseed – The Man Who Planted America

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Hello, Winnie Griggs here. Today is National Johnny Appleseed Day and it just so happens that the current book I’m working on takes place in and around an apple orchard, so I thought doing a little research into the man of the hour might be fun. Here is a little of what I learned:

Few figures from American folklore are as beloved and iconic as Johnny Appleseed. Born John Chapman on September 26, 1774, in Leominister, Massachusetts, he became an emblem of the American frontier spirit, a nurseryman who introduced apple trees to large parts of Ohio, Indiana, and Pennsylvania. His story is a fascinating blend of fact and myth, illustrating how one man’s simple mission can grow into legend.

John Chapman, later known as Johnny Appleseed, embarked on a journey that would engrave his name in the heart of American history. The seeds of his mission (pun intended 🙂 )  were planted early in his life, shaped by a blend of frontier hardship and a personal calling. Moving westward with his brother, Chapman’s venture into apple planting wasn’t just for profit but was also driven by a spiritual mission believed to be influenced by his adherence to the Swedenborgian Church. This church preached the harmonious coexistence with nature, a principle that Chapman took to heart.

With a sack of apple seeds on his back, Chapman set off into the American wilderness, planting nurseries from Pennsylvania through Ohio to Indiana. His method was unique; he would create a small nursery, fence it off with fallen timber to protect it from animals, and leave it in the care of a local settler, whom he’d instruct in its care, promising to return every year or two to tend to it. This approach not only spread apple orchards across America but also established a network of nurseries that would bear fruits for many years to come.

The image of Johnny Appleseed wandering barefoot, with a tin pot hat, and a sack of seeds, has been etched into the American consciousness. While the tin pot is likely a myth, the essence of his simplicity and his kindness towards humans and animals alike is well documented. Unlike the folklore that paints him solely as a wandering planter, Chapman was also a savvy businessman, understanding the importance of land rights and the value of his nurseries.

Johnny Appleseed’s contribution to American agriculture cannot be overstated. By the time of his death in 1845, he had introduced apple orchards to a significant part of the American Midwest, laying the groundwork for a thriving apple industry. His work ensured that settlers had access to apple trees for food, cider, and community building. Beyond agriculture, his efforts were a testament to the power of one individual’s impact on the environment and economy.

Today, Johnny Appleseed’s legacy is celebrated in festivals, parks, and statues across the country. In fact, Johnny Appleseed Day is celebrated on two days each year, March 11, the anniversary of his passing and Sept. 26 his birthday.  He is remembered not just for his contribution to agriculture but as a symbol of generosity, environmental stewardship, and the pioneering spirit. His life story encourages us to live in harmony with nature and reminds us of the impact one person can have on the world.

 

Here are a few bits of trivia and fun facts about John Chapman/Johnny Appleseed

  • He planted his first apple nursery on the bank of Brokenstraw Creek, south of Warren, Pennsylvania.
  • He was against grafting and insisted that apple trees grow naturally.
  • He was reputed to have a remarkable ability to calm agitated horses.
  • The rather small, tart apples that came from the trees Chapman usually planted were not intended for eating. Instead they were used to make hard cider and a kind of brandy called applejack. As these were two of the primary alcoholic beverages of the day it was a more profitable crop than eating apple varieties.
  • In addition to apple trees Chapman also planted medicinal plants which he sometimes shared with Native Americans. In fact the local Indians welcomed him wherever he traveled.
  • Nathaniel Chapman, John’s father, fought in the Revolutionary War. One of the battles he took part in was the Battle of Bunker Hill. Nathaniel was a skilled carpenter and he was often sent behind the lines to fix wagons and help construct forts.
  • The seeds he used for planting his trees came from the cider mills who gave them to him for free. The mills considered them a disposable by-product.
  • During his lifetime, John walked an impressive distance – more than 4000 miles. He actually planted apple orchards in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, West Virginia, and Ontario, Canada.
  • He died in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and there is an official gravesite marker for him in the Johnny Appleseed Park there. However there is some dispute over whether he is really buried there. Some say he was buried in an unmarked spot beside a nearby river but with an unknown specific location. Still others claim he is buried in the family cemetery, again in an unmarked grave but this time the location was confirmed by witnesses to his funeral.
  • Despite his legendary status, Johnny Appleseed lived a life of modesty and simplicity, embodying the virtues he preached.
  • During Prohibition the FBI tore down many of the orchards he planted as part of their efforts to prevent the making of illegal homemade hard cider. But you can still find one of his trees in the town of Nova, Ohio. It’s more than 175 years old and still produces tart apples that are ideal for baking, applesauce, and hard cider

Johnny Appleseed’s tale is more than just a chapter in American folklore; it’s a story that embodies the spirit of adventure, philanthropy, and pioneering that is central to the American spirit. Johnny Appleseed’s legacy stands as a beacon of simplicity and kindness, inspiring generations to plant seeds of their own, both literal and metaphorical, for a better future.

So did you learn anything new today-I certainly did and some of those tidbits may find their way into the book I’m writing 🙂
Was there something in the post that really surprised you?
Leave a comment about anything apple related to get your name in a hat to win your choice of any book from my backlist.

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Winnie Griggs is the author of Historical (and occasionally Contemporary) romances that focus on Small Towns, Big Hearts, Amazing Grace. She is also a list maker, a lover of dragonflies and holds an advanced degree in the art of procrastination.
Three of Winnie’s books have been nominated for the Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Award, and one of those nominations resulted in a win.
Winnie loves to hear from readers. You can connect with her on facebook at www.facebook.com/WinnieGriggs.Author or email her at winnie@winniegriggs.com.

59 thoughts on “Johnny Appleseed – The Man Who Planted America”

  1. Howdy Winnie! I learned a good bit from your post today! All I remembered was that he traveled and planted his seeds. He was a true pioneer, for sure! My mother loves apples. She has a red kitchen. It’s been remodeled some, but the counters are still red! Yes, she loves red. She has an Apple(sometimes 1/2…depending on the size) and a slice of Ezekiel bread with peanut butter on it everyday. It was an informative post Winnie. I live in Florida. Too far south to grow apples!

    Best wishes on your new book!

    • Hi Tracy. Glad I was able to teach you something today. And what fun about your mother and the color red!
      Thanks for the well wishes about the book I’m working on. Hope you have a great day

  2. I was surprised to learn the type of apple he planted. That certainly wasn’t taught in the elementary school where I first learned of Johnny Appleseed.

  4. Thank you for the information. Very interesting. I grew up in upstate New York near an orchard. Loved the smell of the flowers when they were in blossom.

  6. yes we have several apple orchards here in Indiana = but not sure if ones that he planted – very interesting information!

  8. I didn’t realize what kind of apple trees he planted nor did I know the FBI tore them down. I live about an hour and 45 minutes from Ft Wayne.

  9. Good morning. Oh but lots of little tidbits I learned today. I knew some of it. I grew interested in him years ago when I was helping our daughter learn a little about him for a school project. As a young family on vacation one time, we got to visit the apple tree in Ohio. Pretty cool. Thanks for sharing all this wonderful informaton.

  10. This was fascinating. I didn’t know about the medicinal plants or where he was buried. Thank you for sharing!

  11. That was very interesting I knew about him planting apples but not the medicinal plants. Thanks for the information.

  12. Interesting post, I though it was neat the way he fenced off the areas that he planted the apple seeds. We have an apple festival in this area sometime around labor day weekend, but I have never been. Its about twenty mile of so from me.

  13. We learned about Johnny Appleseed in elementary school.

    We road tripped a lot through apple country in WV and Virginia en route to Tennessee. There used to be a Johnny Appleseed restaurant in New Market, Virginia, and it had a fiberglass “statue” of him. I’d see it every time we stopped for gas.

    After 44 years in business, it closed in 2016. I never got to eat there. It was a fun road trip landmark.

  14. I didn’t know about the medicinal plants, but I knew about the apples! I know there are a lot of different varieties of applies, more than I ever dreamed of, actually! An uncle and aunt of mine used to have an apple orchard in NW GA, and I can’t remember all of the different varieties!

  15. An apple for the teacher! In my 35 years of teaching I only remember one student putting an apple on my desk. Maybe in the years shortly after the Johnny Appleseed era did students take apples for teachers. I think it is a thing of the past. I love apples and eat them often.

  19. Hi , I love the story of Johnny Appleseed, which I learned about in elementary school. I did not know about where he was buried . And yes I learned alot from your post. Thank you for sharing al these tidbits about Johnny Appleseed. Have a great day and a great week. God Bless you and your family.

  20. Those are some interesting facts. Thanks for sharing. I definitely did not know the one about Prohibition and the FBI.

  21. It is amazing how many places he visited and spread apples. I love it when history is put into perspective.

  22. Very interesting. I don’t remember learning any of that in school. I attended Department of Defense schools (my father was in the Army).

  23. Thank you for an interesting post. I grew up in apple country in Northern New York State. The primary variety grown there was the McIntosh apple. There was an orchard directly across the road from our house. They grew a few other varieties but the Macs were their primary crop. It is a tart apple good for cider, baking, and just eating. I am not aware of many turning it to applejack, but I am sure some may have tried. Cider was a definite and hard cider was an art to produce. We used to fix a gallon or two for hard cider. (throw a few raisins in and let it sit for awhile in the fridge) but now all the cider you get is pasteurized and it doesn’t work well. We used to enjoy going to the storage facilities where they had a large press. We could watch them press the apples and get gallons of fresh pressed cider. Today it is done in stainless steel sealed systems.

    Anyway, I did not realize he was planting tart apples for the “alcohol industry” rather than eating apples. It doesn’t mesh with the usual image presented. I didn’t realize that his orchards were destroyed during Prohibition. What a shame and a crime against history that was. I find it interesting that where he is buried is such a mystery. One has to wonder why. I didn’t realize he was also planting and sharing medicinal plants. I never thought about where he got the seeds to plant. Smart on his part and good for the producers of cider, etc. since it would increase their supple of apples. I never considered his using grafting as an option instead of seeds to spread his orchards. It would have been difficult for him to accomplish all he did if he had.

  26. I was aways told by my Dad that when Johnny Appleseed did his planting Daisy Daffodil was coming the opposite way and planting Daffodils sou you see they both brought and gave us something

  27. Hey Winnie! So interesting. Was surprised the apple trees Johnny planted weren’t eating apple trees!
    We have the Southington Apple Festival in the fall and there is a church booth that makes and sells fresh apple fritters that are THE BEST!!! They’re served hot out of the fryer; rolled in sugar and voilla….warm apple filled pillows from heaven ;o)

  28. Wow….all the years I taught about Johnny Appleseed, I never knew the type of apples he planted.
    Love learning new things.

  29. I say “Ditto” to most of the previous posts. What leapt out at me was the producers of applejack alcohol not realizing the seeds of the apples they pressed would be a commodity someone would buy.

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