Johnny Appleseed
John Chapman, also known as Johnny Appleseed, was born in Massachusetts in 1770. As a young boy, he worked for a man who owned an apple orchard and nursery. When he became an adult, he left home and traveled extensively, getting into adventure wherever he went.
He was well liked and well received by settlers and Native Americans alike. He came into Ohio in the early 1800's and taught the settlers how to grow apples. He was a strong believer in the idea that no matter where you are, what the weather is like, or what the soil is like where you are, apples will grow. The settlers will have food when crops fail, or when other methods of gathering may let them down.
It is rumored that Johnny was a part in some way of the first Native American uprising against the settlers of this area. The Copus's, the Zimmers, the Carters and others were the first settlers of the area. You can find more information about that and Johnny's connection to the Copus Massacre in the section about the Carriage House. We have many things that belonged to the Carter family.
Johnny planted many orchards in the Ashland County area (of course it was not yet called that), and some of those trees still live! There is one in particular that we know of in Savannah, and that tree is still giving apples today! Historic tree preservers have taken soft wood cuttings from it, and the Historical Society has a grandfathered Rambo Apple tree raised from that cutting.