Johnny Appleseed Day

John Chapman was born on September 26, 1774, in Leominster, Massachusetts, and died on March 11, 1845 (but there's some uncertainity about the date of his death). Today has been declared "National Johnny Appleseed Day" in his memory. He is accredited with planting apple trees wherever he went, especially in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana. 

He loved plants and animals and worked for a while at an apple orchard. He traveled west, taking apple seeds with him. However, the image of a poor vagabond roaming about planting apple seeds is somewhat distorted. He did give that appearance, but, at the time of his death, he owned over 1,200 acres, which he left to his sister, because he'd never married.

Johnny Appleseed has become an American folk figure and legend. Songs, poems, and stories have been handed down through the generations. Plays have been written and performed and movies made about him. Tales of his benevolent spirit has lived on, and Johnny would have liked that.

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