Johnny Appleseed is famous because he lived his life for the benefit of others, not for his own enjoyment. Johnny Appleseed is most famous for planting all his apple trees in the frontier in the 1700's, but many people don't know that he did many other great things in his life.
Johnny Appleseed (who's real name was John Chapman) was born on September 26, 1774 to Nathaniel Chapman and Elizabeth Symond Chapman. He was born in the town of Leominster, Massachusetts (Butler, Carole). His father was a minute man who fought at the battle of Concord, and later a solider in the Continental army. From a young age John Chapman was an avid nature lover and an understanding person. Johnny had one younger sister named Elisabeth (Tansey, Jim). The third child of his parents died shortly after birth. Three weeks after the birth of the third child, John's mother died of tuberculosis, a tragic death for John. His father married Lucy Cooley of Longmeadow, MA in 1780 (Tansey, Jim). Elisabeth and John moved in with Lucy and Nathaniel and lived with them for the time being. Lucy and Nathaniel had ten children together (Tansey, Jim). John Chapman was very understanding and forgiving to see his father leave his mother's grave bed to marry another woman. At an early age he gained an understand
ding of the bad things that can happen to ordinary people, and the severe compromises they have to make to get around them.
John Chapman's great understanding of people will help him aid the settlers in heading west with little or no pay (Johnny Appleseed). In 1800, John headed west himself (Johnny Appleseed). Taking the first steps into being one of the most renown and recognized national heroes. Many people believe that Johnny Appleseed just scattered seeds as he went, planting trees where they would grow, this is not true however. John was a practiced nursery man (Tansey, Jim). John obtained apple seeds form the cider mills in Pennsylvania and traveled from Pennsylvania down to Ohio then back again many times (Butler, Carole)(Johnny Appleseed). He is called Johnny Appleseed because of the settlers that saw him carrying his large bag of apple seeds all over the country. He planted orchards wherever he thought they would grow and always came back to tend each orchard every trip (Johnny Appleseed). He sold the orchards to settlers for 6 cents a seedling. If the settlers couldn't pay, he would accept food, clothes or a promise to pay (Tansey, Jim). Johnny Appleseed helped the settlers start their new lives and he gave the United States many more apple trees than it had before, helping the economy and the lives of the people who bought the orchards (Johnny Appleseed). Johnny Appleseed gained no profit from this, showing his great love for other people and his never ending compassion.
Johnny Appleseed is an American role model who should always be remembered as a loving, compassionate, selfless human being. Johnny Appleseed lived for others by planting apple orchards and selling them to settlers at a price that they could afford. He helped other people get their lives started by sacrificing his. Johnny Appleseed should be remembered for his kindness and his generosity to other people. What would the world be like today if we all followed Johnny Appleseed's example?
