- Title, side A
- Johnny "Appleseed" Land Lease and Nursery
- Text, side A
- John "Appleseed" Chapman (b. September 26, 1774—d. March 18, 1845) was the first lessee of this 160 acre tract (NW 1/4, S 20, T 20, R 16), when he secured it for 99 years from the Virginia Military District School Lands on April 10, 1815. This $320 lease complied with the Ordinance of 1785 which stipulated that proceeds from the sale or lease of a 36th of all new land in the Northwest Territory be used to support public education. Perrysville author, Rosella Rice, knew Appleseed. In a history of Ashland County, she wrote, "One of his nurseries is near us and I often go to the secluded spot on the quiet banks of the creek [Blackfork]...with sod never broken since the old man did it." Attributed as Green Township's first permanent settler, Abram Baughman's original 160 acres (c. 1807) adjoined this property to the west.
- Sponsors
- The Sprang Family, Greentown Preservation Association, and The Ohio Historical Society
- Address
- 2662 OH 39
Perrysville, OH 44864 - Location
- Sprang Property. Set back from the road, so hard to see when going S on OH 39
- Coordinates
- Latitude: 40.6751000, Longitude: -82.3142920.
Google map: