Ohio History Journal

EDITORIALANA.

Although this number of our Quarterly, namely No. 2, Vol. XI, is only the second number of its publication year, we decide to have it conclude the eleventh volume thus making a volume complete from the July and October (1902) Quarterlies. This volume, however, will also include a complete index of the previous ten volumes and the eleventh volume herewith issued. Volume eleven therefore will have, if not the usual amount of reading matter, an adequate value in the complete index of the volumes thus far published, which has been greatly needed, and for which there has been a demand from our society members, general readers, libraries, students and professors. We thus make up the eleventh volume for the further reason that we desire to have the Quarterly begin its year with the beginning of the calendar year. Volume twelve will therefore commence with the January number for 1903. We feel confident that this arrangement will meet the entire ap- proval of the members of our Society and the other recipients of the Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Quarterly.     POCKET-BOOK OF APPLESEED JOHNNY. Through the kindness of Martin B. Bushnell, one of the members of our Society we were permitted to examine, with much interest, a leather wallet of antique style, which was once the property of John Chapman, popularly and historically known as "Johnny Appleseed." An extended account of this eccentric and philanthropic individual is given in the ninth volume (page 303) of our Society's publications. Any item of information concerning, or article of property belonging to, this peculiar character is of the greatest interest. The discovery that Johnny Appleseed had a pocket book must be to most students of his career a revelation, if not a positive contradiction, for Johnny according to the general record eschewed the luxuries of this world, and not only had no use for money, but positively refused to accept it, much less did he indulge to any extent in its use. As will be recalled he was a bachelor and lived a nomadic life, usually camping out with nothing but the canopy of heaven for his covering, or if he should stop at some hospitable cabin or house, it was his custom to lie upon the floor with his kit for a (256)

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Editorialana.                       257

 

pillow. His clothing was the cast off garments of his generous friends.

He traveled like the Apostles of old "without purse or scrip." Yet it is

recalled in the history of Ashland county that he once paid to a certain

individual a five dollar bill as the result of some contractual obligation;

so even Johnny seemed to have had his financial experiences. The purse

in question bears Johnny's own autograph "John Chapman." Its gen-

uineness is conclusively established. It was found among the "truck"

in the garret of an aged dweller at Maumee, Ohio. It had been kept

in that family as a relic that had "belonged to a man they called 'Apple-

seed John.' " The autograph is unmistakably that of Chapman, because

it tallies exactly with several authentic autographs inscribed upon docu-

ments of which he was the undisputed author.

 

 

HISTORY OF PERRY COUNTY.

Prof. Clement L. Martzolff, Superintendent of the Public Schools at

New Lexington, and Trustee of the Ohio State Archaeological and

Historical Society, is the author of a very attractive and valuable little

volume on the History of Perry county, Ohio. It embraces some 200

pages with numerous illustrations and an excellent map of the county.

Mr. Martzolff is an entertaining writer and an enthusiastic student of

history. The material of his book is well selected and concisely employed.

He describes the geological formation of the county, beginning with

the ice period and the days of the Ohio glaciers. He has an interesting

chapter on the Mound Builders and their remains in Perry county, giving

diagrams and pictures of the Stone Fort at Glenford and the Wilson and

the Robert Mounds. He treats at some length of the Indian days,

describing their trails, hunting grounds and wars. His recital of the

history of the county is especially valuable, as he relates its development

from the days of the French and English possession of the great section

of country between the Alleghenies and the Mississippi on through to

the war for independence, which gave this vast area to the United States,

and led to the establishment of the Northwest Territory and to the

organization of the State of Ohio. He mentions the voyage of La Salle

from the lakes across the state down the Muskingum, Scioto or Miami

to the Ohio. He describes the land surveyed and the famous trace

of Ebenezer Zane from Wheeling to Maysville. The account of the

organization of Perry county, is an excellent illustration of the way

in which our counties are made. Another informing feature of his book

is the statement of the provisions in the ordinance of 1787 for

our state public school fund. "The Ordinance of 1787 stipulated

that 'Section 16' of every Congressional township should be reserved for

the maintenance of schools in that township. The object of this school

grant was not merely for the furtherance of education by Congress but

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