Johnny Appleseed – Postage Stamp

The American Folklore series came out on September 24, 1966. This stamp was issued two days before his 192nd birthday in Leominster, Massachusetts. This series featured things that made our nation unique and honored people who played an important part in our culture.

Johnny Appleseed’s real name was John Chapman. Chapman was born on September 26, 1774, in Leominster, Massachusetts. He traveled down the Ohio River with apple seeds in two canoes. He traveled over 100,000 miles planting apples. People spread stories that he randomly spread apple seeds everywhere, but he really planted nurseries. Then he put fences around them to protect them from the animals and had a neighbor care for the nurseries. Every year or two, he returned to tend the nursery. He used the apples for cider because a lot of water was filled with bacteria.

As he traveled, he preached the gospel and converted many Native Americans. The Native Americans felt that he was touched by the Great Spirit so even hostile tribes left him alone. He cared a lot about animals, even insects, so he became a vegetarian. He never married because he believed that if he didn’t find his soulmate on earth, he would find her in heaven.

He died in Fort Wayne, Indiana on March 18, 1845.

Classroom Activities:

1. Research the different varieties of apples and the different uses for each variety.
2. Using apples, make apple stamps, and print them on paper.
3. Research growing apple trees. Where is the best place to grow apple trees? How big do they get? How long does it take to produce apples?
4. Plant apple seeds and document their growth.
5. Using a map, research the route down the Ohio River Johnny Appleseed took.
6. Locate Leominster, Massachusetts on a map and make a tourist brochure for the town.
7. Locate Fort Wayne, Indiana on a map and make a tourist brochure for the town.

Photo from https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Johnny_Appleseed_stamp_5c_1966_issue_.jpg

Principal Sources:

1. https://web.archive.org/web/20060905033519/http://www.in.gov/ism/Education/Johnny_Appleseed.pdf
2. https://web.archive.org/web/20150812003326/http://www.urbana.edu/resources/community/johnny-appleseed/about.html
3. https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Chapman
4. https://www.biography.com/historical-figure/johnny-appleseed
5. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/62113/9-facts-tell-true-story-johnny-appleseed