People of Allen County, Indiana

Johnny Appleseed aka John Chapman

Johnny Appleseed & Pirogue Landing posted March 22, 2021 by Friends of the Rivers on YouTube.
See our Rivers of Fort Wayne page and Pirogue Landing section.

1916 Memorial - Burial Site - Carving - Canterbury Green Stone - Chapman Appletrees - Documents - Estate notice - Festival - Fortriede book - Newspaper articles - Obituary - Publicatons

Johnny Appleseed died in 1845, 71 years later a memorial stone was erected in 1916, 58 years later the Johnny Appleseed Festival started in 1974.

Festival Honors Johnny Appleseed images and newsaper ads including a Place of History image of Mayor Harry W. Baals from Lindenwood Cemetery in the September 21, 1978 The News-Sentinel newspaper were posted February 7, 2023 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook.

Johnny Appleseed Festival

Johnny Appleseed Festival: Bag Pipes 2:21 minute video posted Oct 2, 2009 by Carl Jylland-Halverson on YouTube.

Google map

Since 1974, the Johnny Appleseed Festival is held the 3rd weekend in September in the 31 acre Johnny Appleseed Park, named in 1973 according to the City of Fort Wayne Parks & Recreation, where the two day event draws over 300,000 visitors from all over the Midwest. See the Johnny Appleseed Festival History. NOTICE: some sources say the festival started in 1974, others 1975. Ladonna Huntley James had no idea the seeds she was planting when she launched the first Johnny Appleseed Festival in 1975. Now, 47 years later, the 90-year-old marvels at how it has grown into one of Fort Wayne’s largest festivals, drawing hundreds of thousands of people every September. The festival was actually an idea conceived by Huntley James and the late Phyllis Florea, who was co-founder and president of The Settlers, as part of the 1976 Fort Wayne Bicentennial Commission. Copied from the first few lines of 90-year-old co-founder of Johnny Appleseed Festival proud of city's growth by Terri Richardson posted September 12, 2022 in The Journal Gazette newspaper which is now online behind a paywall. The same article was published as 90-Year-Old Co-Founder Of Johnny Appleseed Festival Proud Of City by NewsReporter September 13, 2022 on digitalIndianaNews.com.

JOHNNY APPLESEED FESTIVAL with KIDS! 2:51 minute video posted Sep 11, 2022 by VOs Travel with KIDS on YouTube
Where to go and what to do at the Johnny Appleseed Festival in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It’s the best fall festival in the Midwest! A festival dedicated to the life and times of Johnny Appleseed. See what vendors offer, watch Civil War reenactors, find the best food and let your kiddos go wild on games! Music by Soltre - www.soltreband.com Homestead chicken and dumplings, Little John’s Root Beer, antiques, vintage, farmers market, homemade home goods, kids games, live bluegrass music, live marching drum line, Johnny Appleseed grave site, where is Johnny Appleseed buried

The Best Fall Festival in the Midwest - The Johnny Appleseed Festival! 5 minute video posted Sep 21, 2018 by Manly Moments on YouTube
Every September the Johnny Appleseed Festival marks the unofficial celebration of Autumn in Fort Wayne, IN. It is, debatably, the best Fall festivals in the Midwest as the sites and sounds of the 1800's are relived while celebrating the life of John Chapman. This video will give you a small glimpse of this amazing event.

Fort Wayne Apple Trail is  a Visit Fort Wayne promotion From apple orchards to the tales of Johnny Appleseed and his heritage, explore the destinations along the Fort Wayne Apple Trail.

John Chapman Apple Trees in Fort Wayne

  1. Our local Fort Wayne minor league baseball team the Tin Caps has Johnny TinCap as their team mascot. The appletree next to The Orchard Team Store, 1301 Ewing Street, at Parkview Field is from the last known tree planted by John Chapman from a September 26, 2022 post by the Fort Wayne TinCaps on Facebook and Twitter.
  2. TinCaps plant apple trees cultivated by original Johnny Appleseed by Kevin Reichard posted September 19, 2011 on BallParksDigest.
  3. A Rambo Apple tree, a descendant of the apple trees Chapman grew near Nova, Ohio, was recently planted next to the Old Fort here in Fort Wayne. Cuttings (small pieces) of the original tree were grafted onto different root stock (already growing trees). According to the Old Fort Palisade newsletter, these grafted trees were planted throughout the Fort Wayne area years ago – two of them still growing at the Johnny Appleseed memorial gravesite. Fort Wayne gardener Carsten Retrum raised a grafted Johnny Appleseed Rambo Apple tree at his home. In December of 2016, he donated the tree to the Old Fort. It will serve as a symbolic memento of the legacy Johnny Appleseed has in this area. Copied from Johnny Appleseed's Legacy Lives On in Fort Wayne by Louisa D. on Mar. 15, 2017 on the Visit Fort Wayne blog.
  4. Chapman's Last Stand Johnny Appleseed The Last Living Tree Planted by Johnny Appleseed on Tree Talk with Brian Riley.
  5. About Johnny Appleseed Authentic™ Apple Trees the Johnny Appleseed Authentic™ Alego apple tree is a piece of America's pioneering legacy, first came to attention in 1995, after decades of stewardship on the Harvey-Algeo centennial farm in Ashland County, Ohio. Trees Grafted from the Last Known Surviving Tree Planted by Johnny Appleseed at PlantMeGreen.com.
  6. Apple orchards today can produce about 10 times more than they did 100 years ago, thanks to researchers at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Plant Genetic Resources Unit in Geneva, New York, and their partners at Cornell University. Copied from an October 9, 2022 post by USDA Agricultural Research Service on Facebook.
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Johnny Appleseed Bench and Carving

Street View photo from Google maps of Johnny Appleseed bench downtown at 227 Lincoln Highway aka Jefferson Blvd. in front of Hampton Inn & Suites Fort Wayne next to Parkview Field.

A July 18, 2019 post by the Johnny Appleseed Festivalon Facebook posted photos of the new Johnny Appleseed bench stating:

Johnny Appleseed Festival Board helps unveil Johnny Appleseed in downtown Ft Wayne. Over the past year, the festival, along with Urbana University, home of the Johnny Appleseed Historical Society/Museum, have been working with White Lodging as they commissioned an artist to design a sculpture to sit downtown outside their new Hampton Inn & Suites.

Fast forward almost a year later - its here and was revealed during the ribbon cutting and grand opening of the hotel.

We hope you'll all visit downtown Fort Wayne and if you get your picture with it, post it here to FB for us to see!

Thank you White Lodging for including us in this memorable day and permanent mark on Fort Wayne.

  A December 18, 2019 post on Fort Wayne Memories on Facebook has two photos showing the L. Dean Butler carving in the Apple Orchard in Glenbrook Mall now H&M in the same location, stating:

The Apple Orchard at Glenbrook Mall is a treasure. Fort Wayne’s “Johnny Appleseed” carving by L. Dean Butler now stands in the H&M store at Glenbrook Square Mall. 

A comment on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook says the top photo is from the Harter Postcard Collection in the Allen County Public Library Digital Collections at the Allen County Public Library.

The bottom photo in H&M is from this article:

At age 85, sculptor Hector Garcia wants to live long enough to make Fort Wayne’s first serious public work depicting John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed. The folk art carving in the mall doesn’t count, he says. Nor does Johnny TinCap, the playful mascot of Fort Wayne’s minor league baseball team. “Those are cartoons,” explains Garcia, whose numerous sculptures include the towering Little Turtle in Headwaters Park and Jesuit Priest where the city’s three rivers meet. “I want the real person.” Copied from Where’s Johnny? A sculptor wants to immortalize 'the real' Johnny Appleseed in downtown Fort Wayne by Ann Votaw, March 13, 2019  on Input Fort Wayne.

Johnny Appleseed sculpture
Johnny Appleseed sculpture

A January 23, 2023 post on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook with a photo captioned: Sculptor Dean Butler has almost completed the basic figure shaping on his Johnny Appleseed wood carving at Glenbrook Mall. Butler started on his 10-foot tall sculpture of the early Fort Wayne personality earlier this Summer and hopes to finish it by the end of August. (Staff Photo by Argil Shock). Handwriting in blue ink July 24, 1976.

Johnny Appleseed Publications

Appleseed, Johnny, 1774-1845 on The Online Books Page show just a few titles among over 3 million free books on the web with only a few shown below. Archive.org has millions of digital items online including thousands of titles from our local library.

There are 100s of online Johnny Appleseed publications many are more fiction than historical. Some of the more interesting ones are posted on this page. Their are two local newspaper articles May 3, 1914 and May 10, 1914 titled Two Men in Fort Wayne Were Present at Appleseed Funeral discussing a personal recollection from attending the funeral, a Johnny Appleseed memorial commission on May 1, 1956 here in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with the original at Ohio State University, referencing many early publications, along with the 94-page National Register of Historic Places application listing sources, and the 1978 Steven Fortriede book which also lists many sources including courthouse records that are most likely among the best sources of accurate historical data.

Johnny Appleseed, a pioneer orchardist by E. R. Smith a Google eBook, posted online at HathiTrust.org. Johnny Appleseed, a Pioneer Orchardist by E. R. Smith · 1916 at Google eBook. Mentioned in the April 11, 1916 Fort Wayne Sentinel newspaper article Writes History of Johnny Appleseed E. R. Smith Tells of His Death and Burial Near Fort Wayne on our Johnny Appleseed Newspaper Articles page.

Johnny Appleseed memorial commission, May 1, 1956, Fort Wayne, Indiana, original at Ohio State University, a Google eBook, posted online at HathiTrust.org.
The Introduction on page 7 has as the first item: Johnny Appleseed by John W. Dawson published in the Fort Wayne Sentinel October 21-23, 1871. (Members of the commission believe this is the most authentic description of Johnny Appleseed that has been written. The article also tells of the estate papers on file in the office of the clerk of Allen County, Indiana. There are 42 papers which have to do with the disposal of the property and remains of Johnny Appleseed. [See Numerical list of papers in settlement of the estate of John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed); original papers are on file in the county clerk's office, Allen county court house, Fort Wayne, Indiana]) Credit for this discovery is due William A. Duff of Ashland, Ohio.

John W. Dawson, who came to Fort Wayne in 1836, knew Johnny Appleseed personally, and was 25 years old when Johnny Appleseed died. He was 51 years old when he published October 21-23, 1871 in the Fort Wayne Sentinel several articles about Johnny Appleseed reprinted on pages 1-6 of the Johnny Appleseed Memorial Commission shown above. He states it is certain Johnny Appleseed came to Allen County by 1830.

  1. Page 5 states Johnny Appleseed died on March 11, 1845 [documents indicate death date is March 18, 1845] at the house of William Worth in St. Joseph township, Allen Co., Ind., on the land now owned by Jesse Cole, on the Feeder canal, and was buried in a reasonable time thereafter, at the family buring ground set apart by David Archer, deceased, now owned by Mr. Emanuel Rudisill and may be seen by the passer-up the towing path of the feeder, occupying a beautiful natural mound. At the east side of this mound, near its foot, Johnny Appleseed was buried, and a stone was then put up to mark the spot, by our townsman, Saml. C. Fletter, who attended his dying hours, dressed his body, laid it out and made his coffin. These are indisputable, and are in general confirmed by the papers on file in the Probate Court.
  2. Page 11 lists Publications at the Allen County Public Library.
  3. Page 15 Monuments and Memorials item 7 says the granite stone marker placed on grave by Optomist Club of Fort Wayne May 26, 1935. The stone was taken from the Slinck farm ten miles down the Maumee river below Fort Wayne where Johnny Appleseed had a nursery of 15,000 apple trees when he died. The stone has the carving of an apple and an open bible inscribed Holy Bible. Between the apple and the bible are the following words: Johnny Appleseed, John Chapman. He lived for others. A copper plate, made by pupils of the James H. Smart School was placed on the fence to correct the dates. Johnny Appleseed John Chapman b. September 26, 1774; d. March 18, 1845.
  4. Page 16 Official Action - December 27, 1934 - The Johnny Appleseed Memorial Commission made a report upon the location of the grave of Johnny Appleseed. The commission invited those interested in the controversy to submit evidence. Both oral and written evidence was submitted. Their decision was summed up in the following words. The members of the commission do not recommend a change in the accepted location of the grave of Johnny Appleseed. The accepted location is the Archer Burying Ground.

John Chapman, Johnny Appleseed, By Occupation a Gatherer and Planter of Appleseeds, H. Kenneth Dirlam, Vice-Chairman Richland County Ohio SesquiCentennial Committee, Mansfield, Ohio, 1953, original from Cornell University, a Google eBook, posted online at HathiTrust.org.

Old Johnny Appleseed by Miller, Olive Beaupré. cn, Publication date 1955 on Archive.org. Originally appeared on page 73 in Heroes, Outlaws & Funny Fellows of American Popular Tales, published January 1, 1939, although link is to a 1973 edition, by Olive Beaupre Miller on Archive.org.

Johnny Appleseed : a pioneer hero by Haley, W. D, Publication date 1955 on Archive.org
"The following biographical sketch by W.D. Haley was originally published in Harper's New Monthly Magazine, volume XLIII, November 1871."--foreword
March 18, 1845 "Johnny Appleseed" Dies PRIMARY SOURCE: Magazine article, 1871 on MassMoments.org a Mass Humanities for people of Massachusetts..

Johnny Appleseed, Orchardist. 27 page booklet by Public Library of Fort Wayne and Allen County, Publication date 1963, on Archive.org
Among other things it mentions his estate papers in the Allen County Courthouse showing he owned 15,000 trees and several tracts of land.

Interesting Indiana: Legend of Johnny Appleseed by Interesting Indiana published November 17, 2014 YouTube
We visit the final resting place of one of America's most popular legends in Fort Wayne Indiana.

Johnny Appleseed is celebrated by the Fort Wayne Midwest League Affiliate of the San Diego Padres baseball team the Fort Wayne TinCaps who play in the downtown Parkview Field stadium next to the historic Embassy Theatre and Hotel Indiana, across the street from the Grand Wayne Center and south of the main Allen County Public Library.

Johnny Appleseed’s flask. While wandering the frontier planting trees and spreading the Gospel as a missionary, Appleseed no doubt got thirsty. A pocket flask known to be used by Appleseed, who died in 1845, is on display at the museum.  Copied from History Center’s ‘200 @ 200’ project highlights area’s past posted January 22, 2016 by The News-Sentinel newspaper.

Allen County, Indiana was created on December 17, 1823, from Delaware and Randolph counties then established April 1, 1824. The last blockhouse of the last Fort Wayne was photographed in 1852.

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  1. John Chapman aka. Johnny Appleseed was born September 26, 1775 in Leominster, Massachusetts, the second child of Nathaniel and Elizabeth (Simonds) Chapman. Johnny Appleseed Today in History - September 26 at The Library of Congress posted September 26, 2017 on Facebook.
  2. Birthplace of Johnny Appleseed marker at The Historical Marker Datatbase HMdb.org.
  3. His birthplace now has a street called Johnny Appleseed Lane. Johnny Appleseed Birthplace Leominster MA posted Jan 28, 2013 by New England's Insomniac Theatreon YouTube.
  4. It Happens Here: Leominster, Birthplace Of Johnny Appleseed posted Nov 13, 2017 by CBS Boston on YouTube.

John Chapman's parents from pages 87-88 of The Core of Johnny Appleseed The Unknown Story of a Spiritual Trailblazer by Ray Silverman, 2012, Swedenborg Foundation Press, West Chester, Pennsylvania.

87 Appendix a John Chapman’s Ancestry in both his father’s and his mother’s line, the ancestry starts with the first person to arrive in what would become the United States. this list is reprinted, with permission, from Robert Price’s Johnny Appleseed: Man and Myth, courtesy of the Johnny aAppleseed Foundation at Urbana University.

5. Nathaniel Chapman
b. Tewksbury, Massachusetts, Washington County, Ohio, 1807
Married (first) Eabeth Simons (or Simonds) of Leominster, Massachusetts, February 8, 1770
Children: Elizabeth, b. November 18, 1770
John, b. September 26, 1774 (“Johnny appleseed”)
Nathaniel, b. June 26, 1776

Married (second) Lucy Cooley of Longmeadow, Massachusetts, July 24, 1780
Children: nathaniel, b. december 1781
Abner, b. July 16, 1783
Pierly, b. March 6, 1785
Lucy, b. July 21, 1787
Patty, b. February 26, 1790
Persis, b. november 15, 1793 some of her Leininger descendants lived in Whitley County, Indiana. A blog The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree – The Real Life of Johnny Appleseed is about Manchester, Indiana Leininger descendants, October 10, 2016 at GenealogyAtHart.com and mentions that in 1931 Robert Harris had notices in Fort Wayne newspapers interested in finding descendants while writing his book Johnny Appleseed: Man and Myth. The article references: Leininger, Robert LeRoy Leininger Family History and Genealogy Two Centuries of Leiningers Manchester, IN: Self Published, 1971, Appendix F. [First annual supplement to Leininger family history and genealogy : two centuries of Leiningers (Book) : two centuries of Leiningers 1974 is at Allen County Public Library] 2 The Straight Dope: What’s the story with Johnny Appleseed? on Straightdope.com.
Mary, b. January 19, 1796
Jonathan Cooley, b. February 2, 1798
Davis, b. april 25, 1800
Sally, b. april 23, 1803

Documents

1845 newspaper obituary

Saturday, March 22, 1845 Fort Wayne Weekly Sentinel, page 2, copied in 2013 from microfilm at the Allen County Public Library.

DIED--In this city, on Tuesday last, Mr. Thomas McJanet, stone cutter, aged 54 years, a native of Girven, Ayrshire, Scotland.

On the same day in this neighborhood at an advanced age, Mr. John Chapman (better known as Johnny Appleseed).

The deceased was well known through this region by his eccentricity, and the strange garb he usually wore. He followed the occupation of a nurseryman, and has been a regular visitor here upwards of 10 years. He was a native of Pennsylvania we understand but his home - if home he had - for some years past was in the neighborhood of Cleveland where he has relatives living. He is supposed to have considerable property, yet denied himself almost the common necessities of life - not so much perhaps for avarice as from his peculiar notions on religious subjects. He was a follow of Swedenborg and devoutly believed that the more he endured in this world the less he would have to suffer and the greater would be his happiness hereafter - he submitted to every privation with cheerfulness and content, believing that in so doing he was securing snug quarters hereafter.

In the most inclement weather he might be seen barefooted and almost naked except when he chanced to pick up articles of old clothing. Notwithstanding the privations and exposure he endured he lived to an extreme old age, not less than 80 years at the time of his death - though no person would have judged from his appearance that he was 60. He always carried with him some work on the doctrines of Swedenborg with which he was perfectly familiar, and would readily converse and argue on his tenets, using much shrewdness and penetration.

His death was quite sudden. He was seen on our streets a day or two previous.  

Johnny Appleseed was a colorful pioneer of the Indiana frontier in the early 1800's. There is conflicting information on his death date with some sources saying he died in 1847, others say in 1845. The Fort Wayne Weekly Sentinel newspaper article Saturday March 22, 1845 shown above shows he died in March 1845, while The History Center has his death notice that says March 18, 1845. He may have attended Methodist church services that became the Saint Joseph United Methodist Church when they held services along the Saint Joseph River. His funeral was officiated by the Methodist circuit rider preacher according to the church history which occupied an existing school house a half mile east of the river by 1863 and since 1957 is located a mile east on the northeast corner of St. Joe Center and Reed Roads. A September 16, 1916 newspaper article interview of Hiriam Porter at age 91 was the only person still living at that time who knew Johnny Appleseed stated: I am the only person living who attended his burial. There was no real funeral. There was no minister. Several of us who were his friends got him a coffin and stood around when he was lowered into the grave. Porter was a school teacher who lived in St. Joseph Township around the St. Joe Road area on the Porter family farm and taught at the St. Joe Center school.

Most sources agree that Johnny Appleseed is buried in Fort Wayne on a hill above the Saint Joseph River celebrated each September since 1974 with the free Johnny Appleseed Festival at the Johnny Appleseed Park where the two day event draws over 300,000 visitors from all over the Midwest. See the Johnny Appleseed Festival History. He is buried in Johnny Appleseed Park in the Archer Cemetery which has at least 22 known burials on the northeast side of Fort Wayne across the parking lot from the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum with tombstone photographs and information posted by the Allen County Indiana Cemetery Project by the local Mary Penrose Wayne Chapter NSDAR. A May 3, 1914 newspaper article says 25 people were buried in the Old David Archer Cemetery, while a May 10, 1914 newspaper article says 150 people. His burial location is on the National Register of Historic Places. Read more in Hoosier Legends: Johnny Appleseed by Aimee Formo September 20, 2013 on researching, remembering, and ... Making Hoosier History with the Indiana Historical Bureau blog. Johnny “Appleseed” Chapman by Tom Castaldi, local historian published September 25, 2014 in History Center Notes & Queries blog.

March 18, 2023 post by Indiana Historical Bureau on Facebook:

#OTD in 1845, pioneering apple farmer John Chapman, better known as "Johnny Appleseed," died near Fort Wayne. He had been protecting his saplings from cows that had broken down the fence of one of his orchards just north of Fort Wayne. Overcome by his exertions, he succumbed to the “winter plague.” Appleseed was buried along the St. Joseph River and the old feeder canal bed on the Archer farm.

Read more about Johnny Appleseed at our blog: Fort Wayne Pioneer: Johnny “Appleseed” Chapman by Tom Castaldi, local historian published May 12, 2016 by the Indiana Historical Bureau.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Death Notice

Newspaper estate notice
Weekly Sentinel image
History Center image
1848 estate sale History Center Image

  The Fort Wayne Sentinel printed his death notice on Saturday, March 22, 1845, saying that he died on Tuesday, March 18, 1845 as mentioned on page 22 of the Steven Fortriede book.

I. H. W. Jones, the County Auditor authorized a January 1848 estate sale shown in the image on the right posted with several other images March 18, 2019 by The History Center on Facebook shown below.

John Johnny Appleseed Chapman research document by The Chapman Family Association references Florence E. Wheeler' publication in the Ohio Historical Journal.

March 18, 2019 post by The History Center on Facebook:

Have you been to an apple orchard? The roots of today’s orchards in Allen County reach back to the efforts of early pioneer John Chapman (popularly known as Johnny Appleseed). Born in Leominster, Massachusetts in 1774, Chapman was a frontier horticulturalist and Swedenborgian missionary. Having previously visited the region, in the fall of 1830 he began purchasing land in Allen County in order to establish permanent apple orchards. When John Chapman died on March 18, 1845, his obituary was published in the Fort Wayne Sentinel, stating that “He followed the occupation of a nurseryman and has been a regular visitor here upwards of twenty years…” Following his death, several of his properties were sold by the county auditor, due to the fact that he owed back taxes. The properties, 48 acres in Milan Township and 116 acres in Maumee Township were sold in 1848 and 1849, respectively. In 1916, a decorative iron fence was erected by the Indiana Horticultural Society around the gravesite in Archer (Cemetery) Park, traditionally held to be Chapman’s final resting place. In 1935 the Optimist Club of Fort Wayne placed a headstone on the gravesite to honor the beloved early pioneer. Today, the 174th anniversary of his death, the History Center commemorates the man who would be known to the ages as the legendary Johnny Appleseed. #sociallyhistory

 

Numerical list of papers in settlement of the estate of John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed); original papers are on file in the county clerk's office, Allen county court house, Fort Wayne, Indiana on Archive.org

A January 1, 2018 discussion by someone saying her grandfather was on a railroad crew that discovered and helped move his grave on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.

Page 22 VI Death and Burial Johnny Appleseed: the man behind the myth by Fortriede, Steven, Publication date 1978 on Archive.org. Steven discusses Johnny's death date and the obituary posted above. Includes bibliographical references with lots of good stuff worth pursuing. Steven discussed his book and the controversy over the Canterbury Green Stone erected by Wesley Roebuck in an October 29, 2021 post on the Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne Private Facebook Group. He mentions item 52 on page 35 as a discredited Chapman genealogy on page 28 nonetheless it was printed as The Genealogy of the Chapman family : relatives of John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed) / compiled by Lizzie Roebuck. by Roebuck, Mary Elizabeth Yocum, 1872- Publication date 1947 on Archive.org

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Pages 370-372, Johnnie Appleseed, his handwriting and his burial place in The pictorial history of Fort Wayne, Indiana : a review of two centuries of occupation of the region about the head of the Maumee River by Griswold, B. J. (Bert Joseph), 1873-1927; Taylor, Samuel R., Mrs in 1917 on Archive.org, discusses his death and burial location. A search for Appleseed finds many more references in the book.

Page 371 JOHNNIE APPLESEED, HIS HANDWRITING AND HIS BURIAL, PLACE. John Chapman, known as "Johnnie Appleseed," died at the home of William Worth, near Fort Wayne, in 1843. "The historical account of his death and his burial by the Worths and their neighbors, the Pettits, the Goings, Porters, Notestines, Beckets, Parkers, Witesides, Pechons, Hatfelds, Parrants, Ballards, Randsells and the Archers, in the Archer burial ground, is substantially correct," wrote John Archer in 1900. "The common headboards used in those days long since have decayed and become entirely obliterated, and at this time I do not think that any person could, with any degree of certainty, come within fifty feet of locating the grave." The burying ground is located a few rods west of Stop 3, on the Robison park electric line. "Johnnie Appleseed" is the hero of many interesting works of fiction dealing with the story of his life, which was spent in planting apple trees throughout the wilderness of the middle west. The portrait and the facsimile of an order for apple trees are after engravings which accompanied an article by E. O. Randall in Vol. IX of the Ohio Archaeological and Historical society publications. A bronze tablet dedicated to the memory of Johnnie Appleseed was placed in Swinney park. Fort Wayne, in May, 1916.

Page 373 He died on the 11th of March, 1843, at the home of William Worth, and the body, placed in a plain board coffin, was interred in the Archer burying ground. Mr. Porter accompanied his parents and witnessed the burial. The exact location of the burial spot was forgotten and it remained unknown until 1912 when the remains, together with a fragment of the box, were discovered while digging a grave. They were replaced, and the second body was placed directly above them. The Archer burying ground is a small piece of ground located at "Stop 3" on the electric line running between Fort Wayne and Robison park. 

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1916 Memorial

May 5, 1916 Johnny Appleseed Memorial Dedication

Photo from a February 21, 2013 discussion on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook, unable to find the original source. The Allen County Public Library Digital Collections at the Allen County Public Library has similar images titled: THE JOHN CHAPMAN, JOHNNY APPLESEED, MEMORIAL WAS ERECTED IN HIS MEMORY AND IS LOCATED IN SWINNEY PARK. showing the bronze tablet and JOHNNY APPLESEED MONUMENT AT SWINNEY PARK from a Johnny Appleseed search of their collection.
The bronze plaque is shown on page 305 in the ebook below and an April 25, 1916 Fort Wayne Sentinel newspaper article.

Pages 304-317, Johnny Appleseed Memorial Notes by the Secretary with photos in Transactions of the Indiana Horticultural Society ... Being a Report of the ... Annual Meeting ... by Indiana Horticultural Society · 1917 a Google eBook. Also at HathiTrust.

Dedicated May 5, 1916 the monument was discussed in many newspaper articles on the days before and after May 5, 1916. A photo of the monument is on page 20 of Monuments Plaques Markers in City Parks Fort Wayne, Indiana ebook Revised and Compiled Through June 1963 by Bernard J. Reul, photos by Harry Grabner Allen County - Fort Wayne Historical Society 1964 and page 20 of Indiana. Fort Wayne the same book with a different title by Lincoln Financial Foundation Collection Publication date 1963 both on Archive.org.

1916 May 6 full page Journal Gazette image
The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette 06 May 1916, Saturday, page 1. Clipped by StanFollisFW 18 Feb 2022 clipping image

This 1916 newspaper article above is one of 100 on the Johnny Appleseed Newspaper page.

Page 566, The pictorial history of Fort Wayne, Indiana : a review of two centuries of occupation of the region about the head of the Maumee River, Griswold, 1917. On the 5th of May, 1916, a bronze tablet in commemoration of the life work of John Chapman ("Johnnie Appleseed") was unveiled in Swinney Park by the Indiana Horticultural Society. The tablet reads: " 'Johnnie Appleseed' (John Chapman), born in Massachusetts, 1776; died near Fort Wayne, 1843; buried in David Archer cemetery ; pioneer apple grower of Indiana and Ohio. The Indiana Horticultural Society and all those who are endeavoring to carry on the work he nobly commenced join in dedicating this monument to the memory of his deeds." William Walton, of LaPorte, Indiana, president of the Indiana Horticultural Society, delivered the principal address, followed by Mayor William J. Hosey, and Dr. Alfred Vivian, dean of the Ohio Agricultural College. Songs by the school children included a composition by Miss Ruth Caldwell entitled "Johnnie Appleseed"; Edward R. Smith, president of the Indiana Apple Show Commission, and Prof. C. G. Woodbury also participated in the ceremony of dedication. (See Chapter XXIX.) See Indiana Horticultural Society information below.

See the full page May 6, 1916 newspaper article with photos.

Johnny Appleseed Memorial Friday afternoon May 5th the Society will hold suitable services in Fort Wayne in memory of Johnny Appleseed. A monument will be unveiled at this time in Swinney park. A suitable iron fence will be erected around the Johnny Appleseed grave in the Archer cemetery just north of Fort Wayne Every loyal member of the Society should plan to be on hand at this time to take part in these memorial exercises for this pioneer horticultural character. From page 386 Transactions of the Indiana Horticultural Society ..., Volume 56 By Indiana Horticultural Society a Google ebook. See Google map image of wrought iron fence.

Practical Hint No 3 May 29th 1916

May 5th 1916 Friday afternoon, May 5th, an enthusiastic gathering of northern Indiana fruit growers met to dedicate a monument to Johnny Appleseed. The exercises were held in Swinney park, where the monument was placed. This monument consists of a huge granite boulder which supports a bronze tablet bearing a bas relief of Johnny Appleseed and a suitable inscription. The boulder is uncut, being left just as it came from the field so as to be more in keeping with the character of Johnny Appleseed. The meeting was called to order at 2:30 by President Walton. Those in attendance were then addressed by Mayor W. E. Hosey, of Fort Wayne; Dean Alfred Vivian, of the Ohio Agricultural College; Prof. C. G. Woodbury, Chief in Horticulture, Purdue University; Colonel D. N. Foster, Chairman of the Fort Wayne park board and E. R. Smith of Indianapolis. Mr. Smith read a letter from Hon. Stephen Fleming of Fort Wayne, whose generosity made it possible for the Society to erect this monument. Eight hundred Fort Wayne school children sang appropriate songs at these exercises, one of which was especially composed for this occasion by Miss Ruth Caldwell of the Fort Wayne schools. A substantial iron fence was also erected around the grave site in the David Archer cemetery north of Fort Wayne. The Indiana Horticultural Society is to be congratulated on having such a loyal friend as the Hon. Stephen Fleming. He financed the entire scheme of erecting this memorial to Johnny Appleseed. Our only regret is that more of our members could not have been present at this very pleasing ceremony.

From page 387 Transactions of the Indiana Horticultural Society ..., Volume 56 By Indiana Horticultural Society a Google ebook.

Copied from a February 22, 2013 post by Barb Arnold on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook which she said is from the Google book.

Harry Schmidt in the 1920s
On January 15, 2023 Gary Fisher from Payne, Ohio posted this image of his grandfather Harry Schmidt on the Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne Indiana page on Facebook. Harry was born in 1901 Payne, Ohio and married in 1924, so this photo is likely taken in the 1920s.
Location of Johnny Appleseed Monument

The "Johnny Appleseed" [ John Chapman ] marker at The Historical Marker Datatbase HMdb.org says the 1916 stone is near 1424 West Jefferson Blvd. which is actually the other side of the Swinney Homestead. I have a photo taken in 2006 with the tennis courts in the background that shows the 1916 stone facing Washington Blvd. towards a concrete memorial with a bronze bust on the southwest side of the Old Settlers garden. The 1916 stone is near a very tall pine tree up the hill barely visible on Google Street view with the red brick Old Settlers house on the left, a new utility brown pole in the 2019 Google image near West Washington Blvd. and small grove of crabapple trees on the right taken near the entrance to Swinney Park. See HMdb map.

The May 5, 1916 Johnny Appleseed Memorial stone at Swinney Park is similar to a memorial stone found on the 9th hole of the Canterbury Green Golf Course.

Google map photo is Street View from October 2016 which shows a better view of the stone in the center of image up the hill

Apple recipes in Johnny Appleseed Almanac by Old Fort Settlers (Fort Wayne, Ind.), Publication date 1975 on Archive.org

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Johnny Appleseed Burial Site

Location of Johnny Appleseed Grave in the Old Archer Graveyard in Johnny Appleseed Park on current Google map

1919 J.M.E. Riedel's new street number guide map of Fort Wayne</

1919 J.M.E. Riedel's new street number guide map of Fort Wayne zoomable image is from the Digital Commonwealth Massachusetts Collections Online.
The location of the Old Archer Graveyard and future Johnny Appleseed Park is not shown on this 1919 map. It would be in the blank area north of the St. Joseph River and St. Joe Road now called St. Joe River Drive below the red Robison Park Line name showing it was between 2 miles and 2 1/2 miles outside Fort Wayne city limits represented by the dotted red lines in 1919 as mentioned in many of these early newspaper articles. Compare to current Google map above. Notice Parnell Avenue does not have a bridge which crosses the St. Joseph River and Coliseum Boulevard does not exist in 1919. Not having a bridge to cross the St. Joseph River made it more difficult to get to the Archer Cemetery where Johnny Appleseed was buried in 1845. There was a May 23, 1916 newspaper article Want bridge built to give access to Appleseed's grave.

  1. The Parnell Avenue Bridge was built in 1927 according to BridgeHunter.com.
  2. Johnny Appleseed Memorial Park, together with the Johnny Appleseed Memorial Bridge over the St. Joseph, closeby, was dedicated May 21, 1949 from page 4 of The National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. The bridge was built in 1947 and listed as SR 930 EB over ST JOSEPH RIVER on BridgeReports.com.
  3. A 1950s era postcard of the Johnny Appleseed Memorial Bridge was discussed March 23, 2017 on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook.

This Google map photo from Street View showing the Johnny Appleseed Memorial Bridge facing east towards the Purdue Fort Wayne University campus is similar to the location of the 1950s-1960s photos discussed below. The roads on either side of Colisuem Boulevard have been slightly realigned since those photos were taken.

The burial site is the oldest National Register Listing in Fort Wayne. Photos FORT WAYNE BRIDGES. JOHNNY APPLESEED MEMORIAL BRIDGE from late 1950s or early 1960s in winter with no leaves on the trees before the IPFW university campus was built in the early 1960s, and Allen County War Memorial Coliseum, Fort Wayne IN: aerial view with numbers attached. Number interpretation: 1. Coliseum Blvd., 2. bridge over river, 3. city utilities park, 4. baseball park, 5. Johnny Appleseed's grave, 6. Parnell Ave. from the Allen County Public Library Digital Collections at the Allen County Public Library. The Johnny Appleseed Memorial Bridge before early 1960s IPFW and the original Johnny Appleseed grave site wrought iron fence postcards are commonly found on ebay. The 1950s-1960s bridge postcard was discussed March 23, 2017 on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook. Recent photos of the Johnny Appleseed Memorial Bridge INDOT LPA project for the City of Fort Wayne upgrade for sidewaks, Rivergreenway Trail System and handrails by ER Engineering Resources. Johnny Appleseed Memorial Bridge at Wikimapia.

The Johnny Appleseed Memorial Park, together with the Johnny Appleseed Memorial Bridge over the St. Joseph, closeby, was dedicated May 21, 1949 from page 4 of The National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form.

Google map photo is from Street View with many other photos including several versions of the James H. Smart School copper Indiana Horitcultural fence sign, May 26, 1935 Optomist Club granite stone image,The Johnny Appleseed National Memorial Foundation September 25, 1963 bronze marker from the Mens Garden Club of America, and modern 1774-1845 information sign from The History Center.

2006 Johnny Appleseed log cabin

Log cabin to be built on site of Johnny Appleseed grave, Fort Wayne, Indiana, by Mens Garden Club of America, North Central Section by Men's Garden Club of America. North Central Section, Publication date 1930 at Archive.org. The log cabin was dedicated May 10, 1977 according to the bronze plaque shown above stating: Glenbrooks Gift to Fort Wayne Dedicated May 10, 1977 Donated by Glenbrook Center and Citizen Contributions.

A detailed landscape construction and planting plan for the grave site of the Johnny Appleseed National Memorial Park, Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana by Hampikian, Hrand; Men's Garden Clubs of America; Johnny Appleseed National Memorial Foundation Publication date 1960 at Archive.org.

2022, May 30 - on the Jeopardy television show: Fort Wayne is home to the grave of this legendary orchard planter posted by Wesley's TV on Facebook. See Johnny Appleseed. Posted as Tonight on Jeopardy on Reddit.

Where is Johnny Appleseed aka John Chapman really buried?

1923 Newspaper article

The photo above is from the July 8, 1923 The Journal Gazette newspaper. It states: Members of the Indiana Historical and Pioneer societies during their recent two-days pilgrimage in Fort Wayne, did not fail to give honor to the memory of Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman), who in the early pioneers days traveled through the wilderness providing settlers with appleseeds. Chapman died at the farm home of William Worth in 1843 and lies buried in the old Archer cemetery, three miles north of the city, on the Robison park line.

Some claim when he died along the Saint Joseph River that he was buried on Henry Cassell's land now the 9th hole of the Canterbury Green Golf Course. There is some controversy and vagueness concerning the date of his death and his burial. From Johnny Appleseed on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.

Where is Johnny Appleseed buried? That question sparked debate in Fort Wayne in the 1930s and 1940s, and continues to plague historians. No one has yet found a tombstone or records to confirm the body of John Chapman lies in what is now Johnny Appleseed Park. But new information seems to strengthen the case Chapman was buried on the hill in the park that now holds his memorial, said Steve Fortriede, who has researched the question extensively. Fortriede updated his analysis in "Johnny Appleseed: The Man Behind the Myth," which was just revised and reprinted by The History Center. Copied from first few lines of the story Researcher finds slice of Johnny Appleseed's life that may prove his burial spot Records may dispel doubt about park site by Kevin Kilbane published September 18, 2003 in The News-Sentinel newspaper now found online on the Internet Archive Wayback Machine. Amazon.com carries a copy of the book Johnny Appleseed: the man behind the myth Paperback – August 28, 2011 by Steven Fortriede (Author).

Page 37 in the Appendix Where did Johnny Appleseed die? Where is he buried? in the book Johnny Appleseed: the man behind the myth by Fortriede, Steven Publication date 1978 on Archive.org. Includes bibliographical references. Steven discussed his book and the controversy over the Canterbury Green Stone erected by Wesley Roebuck in an October 29, 2021 post on the Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne Private Facebook Group. Page 22 of the book discusses Johnny's death date and the obituary posted above.

Location of Johnny Appleseed grave site
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The blueprint map on the right noting the location of Johnny Appleseed's cabin and the area around his cabin was prepared by A.K. Hofer, C.E., Fort Wayne, for the Three Rivers Forum July 1937 and is from Location Map of Johnny Appleseed Cabin and Vicinity on the Indiana Memory digital library at IN.gov linked to the original map at the History Center Digital Collection on the mDON mastodon Digital Object Network. You can zoom and move around on their scrollable map. A discussion of this map occurred June 28, 2017 on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook. The Transcript states: Location Map of Johnny Appleseed Cabin and Vicinity for the Three Rivers Forum. H.A.S. Levering, Pres., Fred A. Ball, Sec. Prepared by A.K. Hofer, C.E., Fort Wayne, July 1937. St. Joe River, Wooded, Worth's Cabin where Appleseed died, Ko chis ah (sepe) (Bean River Trail), Farm Buildings, Orchard, Spring and Strater cabins, Reservoir, Orchard, Kocisa Me-ar-we Trail, White Setter's Trail, Johnny Appleseed Squatter's Cabin, Farm Buildings, Old Orchard, Old Saw Mill, State Cemetery. Note: At left are shown in enlarged scale the locations of historic trails and cabins on W.S. Robuck [Roebuck] Farm. Legend: Point where stone bust was unearthed about 1907; 'Worth" on left breast; Burial place of Johnny Appleseed; Indian cabins; Areas in which evidence of burnt stones has been found. Old Paper Mill; Archer cemetery; Wabash & Erie Canal Feeder; St. Joe River, Trails; W.S. Roebuck Farm; Worth's Cabin and Johnny Appleseed Cabin; Old Saw Mill; Old Toll Gate; Indian Mound; Old St. Joe Turnpike; Spy Run; Feeder Canal; Old Apple Orchard;, Kekeonga; Maumee River; L.S. & M. S. R.R. [Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad]; Wabash & Erie Canal now N.Y.C. & St. L. R.R. [New York, Chicago & St. Louis Railroad]; Pennsylvania R.R.; Wabash R.R.; St. Marys River; The Old Portage. Auburn Road, Leo Road, St. Joe Center Rd., California Road, Coldwater Road, Stellhorn Rd, Old Goshen Plank Road, Wells St., Lima Plank Road, Parnell Ave. Spring St., Sherman St., Spy Run Ave., Delaware, Kentucky Ave., Crescent Ave., Hobson Road, State Blvd., Lake Ave., Main St., Jefferson Street, Lewis St., Maumee Ave., Broadway, Fairfield Ave., Clinton St., Hanna St., Anthony Blvd. City of Fort Wayne, "The Summit City". Scale of map one mile.

Location of Johnny Appleseed grave site
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Indiana Memory digital library at IN.gov also has Neighborhood During Johnny Appleseed's Sojournings A map, photo, and documents showing and documenting the neighborhood at the time of Johnny Appleseed's death in 1845 which is a 5-page documentin the History Center Digital Collection on the mDON mastodon Digital Object Network. The Transcript states: Map: Map showing neighborhood during Johnny Appleseed's sojournings at the time of his death in the year 1845. W1/2 NW1/4 Sec 24: Adam Pettit, 1845. E1/2 NW1/4 Sec 24: Wm. Bolton, 1845. NE1/4 Sec 24: Henry Johns, 1845. Robert Crawford, 1845. Thos. Hatfield, 1845. 1845. Henry Cassel, 1845. 1845. SW1/4 Sec 24-31-12: William Bolton, 1845. W1/2 SE1/4 Sec. 24: Emanuel Rudisill, 1845. E1/2 SE1/4 Sec 24: Reinhart Gripe, 1845. Taber, 1845. John Spender, 1845. Indian Cabins & J. [Johnny] Appleseed Cabin. Christian Parker, 1845. Emanuel Rudisill, 1845. Eliza Forsythe, 1845. Robert Brackenridge, 1845. Bernard Muldoor, 1845. Old Rudisill Mill. Leo Road; Wabash & Erie Feeder Canal; St. Joe River; Old Trail; Kocisu Me-ar-we; Bean Trail; St. Joe Road; Clinton St.; Anthony Blvd.; State Blvd. Washington Township; Wayne Township; Adams Tp.; St. Joe Township. Scale 4" = 1 mile. Legend: Johnny Appleseed Cabin; Worth's Cabin; Indian Cabins. Prepared by A.K. Hofer, C.E. February 16, 1938.

An Indian cabin and J. Appleseed cabin are on the west side of St. Joe Road across from Christian Parker's 1845 land shown in upper right of the map. Henry Cassel's 1845 land in section 19 is shown NW of the cabins. Henry Cassel's daughter Rachel married Christian Parker. In 1846 Peter and Elizabeth Parker donated two acres of land for the Parker Cemetery and were early families of the Saint Joseph United Methodist Church mentioned in Johnny Appleseed's funeral service above.

Johnny Appleseed’s Grave by Randy Harter, Fort Wayne historian and authorpublished September 23, 2018 in the Fort Wayne Readerand discussed September 24, 2018 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.

There are links on the Indiana Memory page to those above and other maps:

  1. 1845 Neighborhood During Johnny Appleseed's Sojournings details on the Indiana Memory digital library at IN.gov linked to the map at the History Center Digital Collection on the mDON mastodon Digital Object Network
  2. Ca. 1880 Map of Ft. Wayne Vicinity details on the Indiana Memory digital library at IN.gov linked to the map at the History Center Digital Collection on the mDON mastodon Digital Object Network
  3. 1885 Map of the City of Fort Wayne, Indiana details on the Indiana Memory digital library at IN.gov linked to the map at the History Center Digital Collection on the mDON mastodon Digital Object Network
  4. 1964-1971 Fort Wayne, Indiana, Navigation Chart & Historical Sites details on the Indiana Memory digital library at IN.govlinked to the map at the History Center Digital Collection on the mDON mastodon Digital Object Network

More ‘buried concerns’: Losing graves has happened fairly frequently in Fort Wayne’s history by Joshua Schipper posted December 15, 2021 in Input Fort Wayne. Discusses Chief Little Turtle burial location, Johnny Appleseed and Archer Cemetery, the Broadway Cemetery now McCulloch Park, Chief Richardville burial location.

Steven Fortriede is interviewed in this video: Johnny Appleseed: His Real Name And His Ties To Indiana posted Oct 23, 2015 by WTIU & WFIU - Indiana Public Media on YouTube. At the 3:25 minute mark it says Fortriede says the controversy about his burial location is pretty much settled.
What do you know about Johnny Appleseed? The man who planted thousands of apple trees across the Midwest died here in Indiana. Lindsey Wright takes a closer look at his lasting impact.

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NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM

A six page document Form 10-300 (July 1969) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM for Johnny Appleseed Memorial Park dated January 17, 1973 is at the National Park Service.

A 94 page document received December 12, 1972 posted on the National Archives Catalog web page titled Indiana SP Johnny Appleseed Memorial Park states that Johnny Appleseed was buried in the two acre Archer Cemetery. Local cemetery records show at least 22 pioneers were buried in those two acres, so what happened to their tombstones? The Description, Item 7, on page 2 states:

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7. Description

Prior to the 1930's most of the area in Section 25 (See Property Plat Map attached) was practically a wilderness. Within this area to the south lies the Old David Archer cemetery consisting of 2 acres of land, and containing the grave of John Chapman, known as Johnny Appleseed.

During the 1930's some of the wilderness was cleared from a portion of the cemetery and a narrow gravel road was installed from there to Pamall Avenue. During this period, a granite memorial, surrounded by an iron fence, was erected on the cemetery indicating the dates of the birth and death of this pioneer. [The date of 1930s contradicts many newspaper articles in 1916 stating the granite memorial and iron fence were installed in 1916. ]

During the 1940's, and 1950's, most all of the wilderness and debris was cleared from most of Section 25. The land area comprising 11.34 acres, which included the 2 acre area of the Archer cemetery lying in the approximate center along the old Wabash-Erie canal was then set aside as the Johnny Appleseed Memorial Park Containing the Grave of Johnny Appleseed.

In 1952, the construction, near the intersection of Parnell Avenue and U.S. 30 By-Pass, of the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum was completed. There were no major changes made on the Appleseed property.

In September 1965, the following symbolic items of significance were installed on the Archer cemetery knoll for memorializing Johnny Appleseed:

(a)—Cobblestones were placed around the existing granite memorial to remind the visitor of the rough terrain trans-versed by Johnny Appleseed on his long barefoot journey to Port Wayne.

(b)—A large greensward cross, edged by railroad ties, was laid out at the crest of the cemetery. The cross beam measures 200 feet, the other member extends 250 feet. The cross symbolizes Johnny's mission to spread the Gospel through the wilderness.

(c)—Evergreens were planted in a pattern to form the initials" J. C." meaning John Chapman.

The present physical appearance is very good.

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8. SIGNIFICANCE

STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

* The book Johnny Appleseed, Man And Myth listed at Item 9 Major Bibliographical. Referrences is the culmination of his research extending over a quarter of a century. The Library Of Congress awarded him a grant-in-aid to finish the book published in 1954.* Man And Myth: " No one had dreamed--------------- -the strange appleseed planter would leap into an amazing public popularity to become one of America’s half dozen favorite folk heroes." end of quote.

Appleseed continues to be one of the best known folk heroes in the Middle West, in fact, nationally. A spot check during five weeks in 1965 indicated visitors to the Johnny Appleseed Grave area as being from 32 States. A new Johnny Appleseed Commemorative postage stamp, the first in folklore series, was issued in 1966.

APPLESEED'S CONNECTION WITH FORT WAYNE

With the headwaters of the Atlantic and Gulf drainages being only four feet apart, the Fort Wayne portage was one of the most famous land links in the Old Northwest. John Chapman( Johnny Appleseed ) started moving in the 1820' s toward this focal point at the Fort Wayne summit. When the first spadeful of earth was turned for the Wabash-Erie canal in 1832, Chapman had extended his enterprises to Fort Wayne,Indiana. For the last twenty years of his life, he was to swing back and forth along this divide and Fort Wayne had now become the western end of the long axis about which the remainder of his life was to revolve.

Chapman purchased four parcels of land in Allen County, Ind., near Fort Wayne. On one parcel, in Milan Township, he established one of the most extensive nursery plantings. At the time of his death, fifteen thousand seedlings were growing there. Another nursery, in addition to the four parcels purchased, tradition has placed on the west side of the St. Joseph river about three miles up from Fort Wayne on land originally owned by David Archer. It also being in a thrifty condition. Near this nursery, was the cabin of Mr. & Mrs Worth who were Chaman's first acquaintances and were his friends. It was here at this cabin where Appleseed stayed much of the( Continued to Form 10-300a ) 
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(Significance- Continued from Form 10-300. )

time while in this vicinity and where he died in 1845. The Worth cabin with friends, the nursery and Archer cemetery all within a radius of approximately one half mile.

The Fort Wayne Sentinel of March 22,1845, upon Chapman’s death,stated: " The deceased was well known through this region------—. He followed the occupation of a nurseryman and had been aregular visitor here upwards of twenty years.” end of quote.

* Man And Myth: ” We buried him respectably,” said Richard Worth in 1858, ” in David Archer's grave yard, two and a half miles north of Fort Wayne.” end of quote.

* Man And Myth: ” The Archer family burial lot was located on a sandy knoll a few rods west of the river a short distance south of the general locations attributed to the Chapman nursery and Worth's cabin------,” end of quote.

Chapman was buried here because of his final illness and death at the Worth cabin amongst his friends and because of his long association with others in this area.

* Man And Myth: ” Johnny Appleseed Memorial Park, together with the Johnny Appleseed Memorial Bridge over the St. Joseph, closeby, was dedicated May 21, 1949, and now constitutes the most extensive memorial to John Chapman—end of quote.

There is no other site in the State so closely associated with John Chapman's productive life as it is here in Fort Wayne.

The two acre sandy knoll lying within the 11.34 acre Johnny Appleseed Memorial Park is the apex of the park. It has been considered the ideal area and focal point for many years for memorializing Johnny Appleseed and his good deeds. The placement of a few items of significance now on the knoll, regardless of the place in the nation of his activity during his life until death, has already served as visual education for visitors to the site. Their comments have been most complimentary. It is for this purpose and reason, this site is being nominated for entry into the National Register. [Received Dec 12 1972]

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9. MAJOR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCES

“ Appleseed, Man And Myth.” Authored by Robert Price (Bloomington, Indiana University Press,1954. ) [1954, 1967, 2001, versions at Allen County Public Library]
[Johnny Appleseed: Man and Myth by Robert Price book review Volume 51, Issue 2, June 1955 Hunt, M. L. (1955). Johnny Appleseed: Man and Myth by Robert Price. Indiana Magazine of History. Retrieved from https://scholarworks.iu.edu/journals/index.php/imh/article/view/8333]

“ Johnny Appleseed Source Book.” By; Robert C.Harris ( Public library Board For Allen County, Indiana,

John Chapman, By Occupation A Gatherer And Planter Of Appleseed." By: H. Kenneth Dirlam. Available through Johnny Apple Seed Nat'l Memorial Foundation,Inc. 1122 Lynn Avenue. Fort Wayne,Indiana 46805

Form contains several black and white photographs, maps, Johnny Appleseed source book by Robert C. Harris that appeared in the Old Fort News Vol. IX, Nos. 1-2, March - June 1945, page 82 discusses gift of land by Mr. and Mrs. William T. McKay for Johnny Appleseed Memorial Park October 20, 1947, and references.

Johnny Appleseed: A Mysterious Death posted March 18, 2017 by 539 Productions which posts lots of cemetery videos on YouTube

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Canterbury Green Memorial

See Canterbury Green Golf Course 9th Hole Map on Stonehedge Blvd. for the location of their Johnny Appleseed Memorial. This memorial states: This marks the small cemetery on the Henry Cassell land where John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed) died in March 1845 and was buried here. Richard Worth, see page 22 in the Fortreide book, died between 1845 and 1846 and was buried here also. This memorial and its controversial origin in the 1920s-30s by Wesley Roebuck were discussed for some time in local newspapers from an October 29, 2021 discussion on the Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne Private Facebook Group and in the Fortreide book above. See the stone in the distance on the golf course on Google Maps Street View location.

Johnny Appleseed location plaqueJohnny Appleseed plaqueJohnny Appleseed location plaque

Historical Newspapers Articles

Found almost 100 Johnny Appleseed newspaper articles published in old historical newspapers. Some were printed multiple times as newspapers of the 19th and early 20th century sometimes had daily and weekly versions publishing the same stories. There was a daily Dawson News, Journal, Gazette, News, and Sentinel. For over 100 years we had both The Journal Gazette newspaper and The News-Sentinel newspaper first published as a weekly paper in 1833 which ceased publication April 23, 2020.

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Ohio Historical Journal

  1. Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society over 150 search results at Archive.org
  2. A May 4, 1916 newspaper article stated: Probably the most nearly authentic account of John Chapman and his work is found in the Historic Annals of Ohio, pubished by the Ohio Archeological and Historical society in 1861.
  3. Index Results for Johnny Appleseed with just a few listed below:
    1. ADDRESS AT THE GRAVE OF JOHNNY APPLESEED By ROBERT C. HARRIS, two pages.
    2. JOHN CHAPMAN'S LINE OF DESCENT FROM EDWARD CHAPMAN OF IPSWICH* Compiled by FLORENCE E. WHEELER With an Introduction by ROBERT PRICE Who Was Johnny Appleseed?--Introduction
    3. OUTLINE OF FACTS RELATED TO THE BURIAL PLACE OF JOHN CHAPMAN By WESLEY S. ROEBUCK, February 15, 1942; revised July 3, 1943, seven pages.
    4. REPORTS THE BURIAL PLACE OF JOHN CHAPMAN (JOHNNY APPLESEED)* Report of the Commission Appointed by the American Pomological Society to Investigate Its Location, seven pages.

Johnny Appleseed 1948 cartoon on Archive.org

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Johnny Appleseed Stuff

  1. Periodical Source Index: Surname Search for Johnny Appleseed produces almost 100 results in various genealogy publications.
    1. Johnny Appleseed, Fort Wayne, IN Old Fort News Vol. 9, Issue 1-2 (Mar 1945) ACPL Call #: 977.201 Al5hsd
    2. John Chapman-Johnny Appleseed bur. place Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Quarterly Vol. 52, Issue 2 (Apr 1943) ACPL Call #: 977.1 Oh3. See Ohio Historical Journal articles above.
    3. John Chapman-Johnny Appleseed bur. place Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Quarterly Vol. 52, Issue 3 (Jul 1943) ACPL Call #: 977.1 Oh3
    4. Johnny Appleseed tribute, 1871, IN Settlers' Broadside Vol. 30, Issue 1 (Fal 2005) ACPL Call #: 977.201 Al5hsaa
    5. Personal acquaintance of Johnny Appleseed recollections, his desire for a 10-12-year-old bride, 1898, Allen County Lines Vol. 40, Issue 1 (Sep 2015) ACPL Call #: 977.201 AL5acgw
    6. Worth family and John Chapman-Johnny Appleseed burial, IN Old Fort News Vol. 66, Issue 1 (2003) ACPL Call #: 977.201 Al5hsd
    7. John Chapman aka Johnny Appleseed biography, 1770s-1845, IN Old Fort News Vol. 66, Issue 1 (2003) ACPL Call #: 977.201 Al5hsd
    8. John Chapman aka Johnny Appleseed family research, Chapman Cemetery connection, 1774+ Washington Vol. 29, Issue 3 (Sep 2012) ACPL Call #: 977.101 W27ogs
  2. Appleseed, Johnny, 1774-1845 search over 105 titles at Archive.org.
  3. Allen County Public Library Digital Collections at the Allen County Public Library search results for Johnny Appleseed.
  4. Over 200 Johnny Appleseed, over 100 Appleseed, Johnny, 1774-1845 title search results at Allen County Public Library.
  5. Johnny Appleseed Memorial Association Record Books at the The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
  6. History Center Digital Collection on the mDON mastodon Digital Object Network has Johnny Appleseed search results.
  7. Johnny Appleseed in the I Remember History online tour of Summit City history from the archives of The News-Sentinel newspaper states under the title Warning settlers of Indian activities:
    By 1830, Johnny Appleseed had moved his base of operations to Indiana. The first real evidence of Johnny Appleseed's presence in Fort Wayne is from April and May of 1834. There are records of him paying $250 for two pieces of land along the Maumee River east of Fort Wayne.
    John Dawson, a newspaper editor of that era, said John Chapman was in Fort Wayne as early as 1834.
    Another historian said he was here in 1828 and planted a nursery on the west side of the St. Joseph River, north of Fort Wayne. Others say he visited here as early as 1822.
    Fort Wayne appears to be the farthest west that John Chapman ever traveled. At least that's what we can prove from the land records and other such information.
    Johnny Appleseed legends, however, have him visiting Daniel Boone in Kentucky and Abraham Lincoln in Illinois. One California woman claimed he planted the first apple orchards in her state.
    In any event, by 1836, Johnny Appleseed had completed his move from Mansfield, Ohio, to Fort Wayne, and from that time on he considered himself a resident of Allen County.
    Most believe Johnny Appleseed died March 12, 1845, and was buried on the mound in the old Archer family cemetery, where the memorial to him stands today.
    Obituary part legend... part truth
    His death notice ran in the March 22, 1845, Fort Wayne Sentinel, as seen at right. It said, in part, "Died at an advanced age, Mr. John Chapman (better known as Johnny Appleseed). His death was quite sudden. We saw him on our streets only a day or two previous." John Chapman would have been 70 at the time.
    Most agree Chapman died of a disease that newspaper editor Dawson called "the winter plague," which was probably a kind of pneumonia. Most also agree he died at the home of a Mr. Worth near the St. Joseph River.
  8. Johnny Appleseed's Legacy Lives On in Fort Wayne posted March 15, 2017 on Visit Fort Wayne.
  9. Johnny Appleseed: The Man Behind the Myth SKU: 100372.66.1 from Old Fort News Volume 66 Number 1, 2003 at The History Center.
  10. The Big Apple: Johnny Appleseed’s Legacy 12 page document for students at Purdue University.
  11. Johnny Appleseed Planted Stories Of Myth, Adventure posted April 14, 2011 on All Things Considered on 89.1 WBOI Northeast Indiana Public Radio.
  12. Johnny Appleseed 'Rotarian Tramping through the wilderness of early America, he blazed a trail of selfless service. By James Cloyd Bowman, author and novelis; Rotarian, St. Petersburg, Fla. on page 30-31 of the April, 1957 The Rotarian.
  13. Some of Johnny Appleseed's land still a farm by Nancy Vendrely in her Yesterdays column in the People insert was published May 21, 1996 in The Journal Gazette newspaper. Chester and Sally Green owned 40 acres of land owned by Johnny Appleseed his shed with foundation stones used to be on the Eel River Township farm. Not online, but should be on microfilm at The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
  14. At age 85, sculptor Hector Garcia wants to live long enough to make Fort Wayne’s first serious public work depicting John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed. ... Garcia envisions a non-Disney-fied John Chapman in a four-by-four bronze relief plaque that could go on the wall at the entrance to Parkview Field. .... His other works include Little Turtle in Headwaters Park and Jesuit Priest where the city’s three rivers meet. Copied from Where’s Johnny? A sculptor wants to immortalize 'the real' Johnny Appleseed in downtown Fort Wayne by Ann Votaw published March 13, 2019 on Input Fort Wayne.
  15. John Chapman: challenging the Johnny Appleseed legend by Lisa Esquivel Long published November 27, 2019 on Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly.
  16. Indiana Memory digital library at IN.gov has over 50 search results for Johnny Appleseed resulting in grave photos, maps, tesitmonials and more.
  17. Johnny Appleseed search results including February 19, 2013 one of several Johnny Appleseed discussions on the original Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne, Indiana page on Facebook
  18. Johnny Appleseed search results , 30 photos of Johnny Appleseed from many sources already on this page were posted September 16, 2017, and Local Anthony Wayne Boy Scouts have patch for hiking the Johnny Appleseed Trail discussion May 26, 2019 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.
  19. Johnny Appleseed search results on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook
  20. Johnny Appleseed: The facts and myths Hank Fincken portrays colorful, eccentric Johnny Appleseed at schools, festivals and special events.(Originally aired on Nov. 14, 2009) His real name was John Chapman. He probably died in 1845 in Allen County, where the largest city, Fort Wayne, now celebrates a popular Johnny Appleseed Festival every autumn. Did he wear a saucepan on his head, as depicted in Walt Disney cartoons? What were the facts, and what were the myths or embellishments, about the folk hero of the Indiana frontier known as Johnny Appleseed? To enlighten us, one of the country's foremost experts on Johnny Appleseed joins Nelson in studio. His guest is Indianapolis-based re-enactor and playwright Hank Fincken, who has spent decades researching Appleseed/Chapman. Hank portrays colorful, eccentric Johnny Appleseed at schools, festivals and special events. Posted May 20, 2017 in the Archives of Hoosier History Live podcast on Saturdays, noon to 1 p.m. ET on WICR 88.7 FM and an August 11, 2022 post on Facebook.
  21. 9 Facts that Tell the True Story of Johnny Appleseed by Kristy Puchko on mental_floss.
  22. American Legends Volume 1: Johnny Appleseed published March 12, 2012 a Disney Educational Productions YouTube.
  23. Johnny Appleseed Memorial Park in Lima, Allen County, Ohio.
  24. The Johnny Appleseed Educational Center and Museum 518 College Way, Urbana, Ohio holds the largest collection of memorabilia and written information about the life of John “Appleseed” Chapman in the world.
  25. Celebrate Johnny Appleseed Day Read all about the man who introduced apple trees to the United States. on Farmers Almanac.com.
  26. Johnny Appleseed Debunked Heroes & Trailblazers with lots of recent photos by Kate Kelly on America Comes Alive.
  27. Johnny Appleseed Is Just A Myth, Right? Turns out, this tale isn’t as “tall” as you might think. on Ripley's
  28. Johnny Appleseed on Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
  29. The Legacy of Johnny Appleseed looks at heritage apple varieties written for the Chicago Botanic Garden by Dan Bussey published February 19, 2015 on Seed Savers Exchange blog
  30. The Real Johnny Appleseed Brought Apples—and Booze—to the American Frontier The apples John Chapman brought to the frontier were very different than today's apples—and they weren't meant to be eaten by Natasha Geiling published November 10, 2014 on Smithsonian.com.
  31. The truth about Johnny Appleseed and hard cider by Dawn Mitchell on the IndyStar.
  32. An interesting comment by Charlie Savage November 13, 2021 on True Fort Wayne Indiana History on Facebook stated: Thanks for this group which I just stumbled across. I will contribute this fact re Johnny Appleseed (John Chapman) who definitely died in Fort Wayne but may not actually be buried in the old Archer family cemetery at the park by the Coliseum. There are lots of sanitized and feel-good myths about Chapman/Appleseed, but the real history is more interesting than what we were taught as children. He wasn’t selling/spreading apple seeds and seedlings that yielded wholesome fruit that pioneers ate to keep the doctor away, but rather an inedible strain that was only good for fermenting into hard cider. (Settlers called hard cider “applejack” - not sure how a kids’ cereal ended up with that name but it echoes the Disneyfication of Chapman). In short, he got famous for helping settlers get drunk. He was also kind of crazy. Best account I have seen is the apple chapter of “The Botany of Desire” by Michael Pollan. The novelist Tracy Chevalier, better known for “Girl with a Pearl Earring,” wrote a novel about the tough lives of settlers in this region (or northwest Ohio) in the early 19th Century before the Great Black Swamp was drained, called “At the Edge of the Orchard.” Alcoholism plays a major role and a character is a more realistic portrait of Chapman. In a comment he shared this article: The Real Johnny Appleseed Brought Apples—and Booze—to the American Frontier The apples John Chapman brought to the frontier were very different than today’s apples—and they weren’t meant to be eaten Natasha Geiling November 10, 2014 on Smithsonian Magazine.
  33. What's the story with Johnny Appleseed? on The Straight Dope. Another comment requiring further research stated: Stell horn road and Indiana State route 37 as far from the Ohio State line to the area of the Johnny Alppleseed bridge was once part of the Overland Trail .
  34. Johnny Appleseed: The Man, the Myth, the American Story by City of Allen - ACTV Jul 16, 2015 one hour video on YouTube
    Learn more about John Chapman, the frontier nurseryman who became the basis for folk legend Johnny Appleseed. Biographer Howard Means (Johnny Appleseed: The Man, the Myth, the American Story) explores the facts behind Chapman and the Johnny Appleseed mythology. It is the tale of two men — one real and one invented — the period in which they lived, how they have been used in our national story, and what they symbolize.
  35. Mo Rocca on CBS News visited the Johnny Appleseed Festival published November 26, 2017 on CBS News Sunday Morning that starts with the festival then looks at modern apples and back and forth to the festival.
  36. Johnny Appleseed: Man Behind the Legend by The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered May 27, 2020 on YouTube
    Usually portrayed as a lanky man wearing a long-handled pot on his head and spreading apple seeds, the real Johnny Appleseed was a shrewd businessman and religious zealot who played an important role in U.S. westward expansion effort. The History Guy explores the reality underlying the character of American folklore. This is the forgotten history of the man, John Chapman, behind the legend of Johnny Appleseed. This is original content based on research by The History Guy. Images in the Public Domain are carefully selected and provide illustration. As very few images of the actual event are available in the Public Domain, images of similar objects and events are used for illustration.
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Page updated: March 18, 2023