Johnny Appleseed and Other Characters
From 20th Century History of Springfield and Clark County, Ohio by Hon. William A. Rockel
Chicago: Biographical Publishing Co., 1908
Johnnie Appleseed, whose real name was Chapman, was an eccentric character who wandered over the midland counties of Ohio in the early part of the last century. He received his sobriquet from his peculiar calling, if I may term it as such. Even in the times in which he lived, his habits were such as to term him eccentric. He lived the roughest life, often sleeping in the woods. He was quick and restless in his motions and conversations. His beard and hair were long, his clothing was mostly old, given him generally in exchange for his apple trees. Without any compensation other than that of being allowed to indulge his eccentricities, he went from place to place planting apple trees wherever his fancy might suggest. He planted nurseries in Licking County and Richmond County and in other places of which we now have no knowledge. That his wanderings sometimes took him through Clark County is more than probable. People bearing the same name—and it is said in his biography that he had a large number of relatives in various parts of Ohio—resided near Tremont City where the creek flowing through that village is given his family name, and we are informed that his wanderings extended as far as the state of Indiana.
Tradition has it that he planted an orchard at what was formerly known as Kreb's Station, which was located near the western end of where the second Big Four Bridge crosses Mad River south of Springfield. On these wanderings he either carried the apple shrubs or the seeds with him, planted or gave them away just as his fancy might dictate. A harmless character, whose peculiar but well resulting efforts, humble though they might have been, have left behind a kindly memory, and won for him a fame that people in more distinguished callings have often failed to win.
The famous renegade Simon Girty was probably at no time a resident of this county, otherwise than as a guest of some of the Indians at Piqua. A fairly good sketch of his life is given in the description of the battle of Piqua. although according to the best authorities now, he was not at that battle.
Likewise the famous Indian fighter and scout, Daniel Boone, was at no length of time a resident of this county, although engaged in Indian excursions that took him through the Miami and Mad River Valley. He is credited with having been present at the battle of Piqua. but the better authority is that he was not there at the time the battle was fought, being in North Carolina with his people. Many others doubtless, who have been prominent in forming the history of this county, will fail to receive mention in any historical work. Each pioneer performed duties that were proper and necessary in his day, and while all men have not shone with equal luster, nor have received the recognition that transmits their names and records to posterity on history's page, the fact remains that they were useful and necessary factors in the early history of this county.
It is said upon good authority that when Gen. McPherson fell in front of Atlanta, the surprise was so great that for a few moments he was deserted by all but a single private, who staid to attend him. History has searched in vain for that private's name in citing the incident. So in our county histories while many of the incidents will be cited and remembered, the names of the individuals may never be known. The roster of county officials will give the names of a large number of persons who in various ways participated in the up-building of our county, and so in the descriptions of various trades and callings there will appear the names of those most prominent in such respective fields of industry. Sketches of members of the bar and of the legal profession will also give publicity to the names of some who were or have been prominent in local history, and others, again, may be found in the biographical sketches published in the latter part of this volume.