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Show UOHNNY API'LESEED TO HAVE SITTARLE MEMORIAL Johnny Appl .- 1, v.. I known : '.inaltion and history in the Middle '.Vert, once characterized by John Sherman as "one of the most striking strik-ing figures this republic has produced." produc-ed." is to have late recognition of his services to America. The chain her of Commerce at Fort Wayne, ha.. Instructed a committee to locate and niaj-k his grave with a suitable memorial, mem-orial, so that it may be pointed out to the public as the reistlng place of a unique Western pioneer. Most of the knowledge of Jobnns Appleaeed rests on tradition. It is known tnat ne was tiorn in spring-field, spring-field, Mass., In 1775 and it is said ; that he left his native state and wandered wan-dered out into the wilderness because of disappointment In love. He was In the valley of the Potomac in 1709 and in western Pennsylvania in IROu. He gathered a great quantity of apple ap-ple seeds from the cider presses n. Pennsylvania and floated down the Ohio in a strange raft, made from 2 canoes and loaded with bags of seed) He was on his way west to make the wilderness bloom with apple blossoms. blos-soms. "My mission in life," he told a pioneer woman, "is to have the apple ap-ple trees ready fori the settlers when they come." His first nursery was in West Virginia Vir-ginia and then he wandered into Ohio and Indiana planting his seeds and planting apple trees in the wilderness. wil-derness. More than 100 nurseries were set out In the forests of the tw middle western states by this straligc wanderer. With an axe, hatchet and a hoe. nc would seek a favorable spot near n river, prepare the ground and plain thousands of apple, pear and peach seeds. Then he would build a brusV fence around the Infant nursery to keep out prowling beasts. Often n would set out the homely herbs which later proved so userul to the settlers. Although he dressed in crude and queer looking garments, Johnnp Ap-pleseed Ap-pleseed was of prepossessing appearance appear-ance and was a man of intelligence. The Indians. venerated him as a great medicine man and- he roamed' through the wilderness unharmed, living simply on nuts and berries, and traveling-' without weapons. During Dur-ing the War of 1812 he performed Important service for the westerii settlers, frequently warning them oi the approach of hostile Indians. Once he brought troops to relieve the siege of a blockhouse In the wilderness. wilder-ness. He lived quietly in a backwoodu cabin during his declining years and his death was announced in Congress in 1847 when he was characterized as "an old man who had done more for the West than any other man of his era." |