Hancock County, Ohio - Chapter 19: The Deer-Lick Plum Orchard Johnny Appleseeds, 1881

ABOUT two and a half miles west of Findley, on the north side of the river, and on the farm now owned and occupied by Richard M. Watson, was a " Deer Lick," or spring, impregnated with salt, which was a favorite resort, as well for the timid deer, as for the roaming red man. To this spring the deer were attracted, and near it the hunter had erected his look-out high up in the trees upon which he would seat himself, and patiently wait for the appearance of the unsuspecting game, and the first intimation the doomed animal had of the presence of danger, was the crashing of a bullet through its brain.

Eight miles down the river from Findley, and on the north bank, is the " Plum-Orchard," or " Indian Green," and '' Indian Burying-Ground." The timber was removed from a considerable tract of land, and there are still to be seen the remains of earth-works, running parallel with and a short distance from the river. They seem to have been thrown up as a protection against an attack by water, or by land from the opposite side of the river. In the rear of these fortifications, was the Indian burying-ground, flanked on the north by a heavy and dense forest.

The number of fruit trees found already growing in different parts of the county by the first settlers, was evidence of the visits ol "Johnny Appleseeds," as he was familiarly called. This ecceutric individual was regarded as a religious enthusiast, of the Swedenborgian persuasion, who acted as a kind of missionary amongst the Indians, and who, in his perambulations through the wilderness, planted the seeds of the different kinds of fruits, so that in man}' places in the counfy, there were fruit trees in great numl)ers, and some of them already producing fruit, at its first settlement.

The writer hereof remembers having seen "Johnny" in the year 1839 or 1840, perhaps the last time he ever visited the county. He was at that time quite an old man, and did not appear to have a very great ({uantity of this world's goods. He was regarded as an intelligent, harmless, but slightly demented man. At all times sociable, but eccentric, All! of pleasant story, and good advice, after his fashion, he was always made welcome by the pioneers.

A short time since I read an article in the Cleveland Leader, by a correspondent at Mansfield, Ohio, in which allusion was made to this man, and whilst it seems to me, that it is a rather exaggerated account of his appearance, and peculiarities, I am tempted to re-produce it here, for I am sure that any incidents connected with the life and history, of this, to us almost unknown being, until he made his appearance here - or rather until the first settlers made their appearance, will be of interest to the older readers at least.

The writer of the article alluded to and which is entitled? ' Men of Function. The Notables who have made the city of Mansfield a stopping place," says: "There is still another character who assists in making Mansfield, and Richland County of some historical consequence. Years ago, among the forests in this neighborhood, tramped a half nude specimen of humanity, a regular " Old ^Mortality " in some respects, whom the straggling settlers knew as 'Johnny

Appleseeds.' Protected from the winter blasts, and summer storms, by nothing save a coifee sack, he traversed the whole of Central and Eastern Ohio, time and again, planting appleseeds as he went.

" He was first seen in Ohio in 1801 , and with him an old blind horse, drawing in an aged and infirm wagon, a quantity of appleseeds. These seeds he planted in Eastern Ohio, along the banks of riveis snd creeks. Returning to Pennsylvania, Johnny disposed of his steed and equipments, and gathering up several bushels of seeds at the cider presses in Western Pennsylvania, he started for Ohio with them on his back. For years he kept on in the even tenor of his way, starting orchards all over this part of the state, but when emigrants from other states began to pour in and take up the land in Ohio, poor Johnny found his occupation gone, amd taking up his coffee sack, moved into Indiana, where he continued to plant appleseeds for some time, when death overtook him, and he was laid away in a country church yard, a few miles from Fort Wayne.

" His name was John Chapman, and it is thought he w^as born in Massachusetts. He was a regularly constituted minister in the Swedenborgian Church, and always carried with him several books on pious subjects, which he would leave with a settler whom he thought needed spiritual bracing up. During the coldest weather, he refused to wear shoes, and upon one occasion, when forced to accept a pair from a kind hearted farmer, he came to Mansfield, which was then but a small village, and gave them to a poor family, who were going west. When he first came to Ohio, he accepted the cast off clothing of the settlers, but afterwards became convinced he was getting too proud and worldly, and finally he adopted the cofiee sack suit, in which he died.

" His head was protected from Old Sol's smiles, by a tin pan, which was also used as a culinary utensil, when he was overtaken by hunger in the woods. He believed it a sin to tread upon a M'orm, or eat flesh of any kind, hence he never took turkey on Thanksgiving, or fish during Lent. His wounds he would sew up with a red hot iron, and then apply the juice of certain weeds to cure the burns.

" His appletrees he sold to the settlers, and if they were too poor to pay him, he would give them a receipt in full up to date. He was a small wiry man, with black eyes, and long unkempt hair and whiskers. He has left several monuments of his good deeds, in the shape of huge appletrees, near this city, which still continue to bear fruit and protect the weary and foot sore traveller from the scorching sun of summer."

After the advent of Johnny into our county, he dressed as other men, poor men, shoes and all, and I have never heard of his selling, or demanding a price for his appletrees.

Of this eccentric man, Henry Howe, in his valuable work, " Historical Collections of Ohio," says : " At an early day there was a very eccentric character, who frequently was in this region. His name was Jonathan Chapman, but he was usually known as 'Johnny Appleseeds.' He was supposed to be originally from New England, and had imbibed an uncontrolable passion for rearing and cultivating apple trees from the seed. He first made his appearance in western Pennsylvania, and fi-om thence niade his way into Ohio, keeping on the outskirts of the settlements. He planted his seeds in spots of cleared ground, and on the banks of the streams,

" When the settlers began to flock in and open up farms, Johnny was ready for them with his trees, which he either gave away, or sold for some trifle, as an old coat, or any other article of which he could make use. His personal appearance was as singular as his character. He was a small, chubbed man, quick and restless in his motions and conversation. He wore his hair and beard long, and had a sparkling black eye. He lived the roughest life, and often slept in the woods. He went barefooted, and often travelled miles through the snow in that way. In religious belief, he was a follower of Sweedenborg, leading a most blameless life. Wherever he went, he circulated Swedenborgian works. He was careful not to injure any animal, and thought hunting morally wrong.

" This story is told of him, as illustrating his kindness of heart. On one cool autumnal night, whilst lying by his camp fire in the woods, he observed that the musquitoes flew in the blaze and were burnt. Johnny thereupon brought water and quenched the fire, afterwards saying : ' God forbid that I should build a fire for my comfort, that should be the means of destroying any of His creatures.'

" At another time, he made his camp fire at the end of a hollow log, in which he intended to pass the night, but finding it occupied by a bear and her cubs, he removed his fire to the other end, and slept on the snow in the open air, rather than disturb the bear. (I think I would have done the same thing. Au.)

"An itinerant preacher was holding forth on the public square in Mansfield, and exclaimed: 'Where is the barefooted christian travelling to heaven?' Johnny, who was lying on his back on some timber, taking the question in its literal sense, raised his bare feet in the air, and shouted: 'Here he is!'"