Johnny Appleseed
American pioneer nurseryman
Years: 1774 - 1845
John Chapman (September 26, 1774 – March 18, 1845), called Johnny Appleseed, is an American pioneer nurseryman who introduces apple trees to large parts of Pennsylvania, Ontario, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, as well as the northern counties of present-day West Virginia.
He becomes an American legend while still alive, due to his kind, generous ways, his leadership in conservation, and the symbolic importance he attributes to apples.
He is also a missionary for The New Church (Swedenborgian) and the inspiration for many museums and historical sites such as the Johnny Appleseed Museum in Urbana, Ohio, and the Johnny Appleseed Heritage Center in Ashland County, Ohio.
The Fort Wayne TinCaps, a minor league baseball team in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where Chapman spent his final years, is named in his honor.
