Johnny Appleseed, born John Chapman (September 26, 1774–March 18, 1845), was an American pioneer nurseryman who introduced the apple to large parts of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois. He became an American legend while still alive, largely because of his kind and generous ways, his leadership in conservation, and also because of the symbolic importance of apples.
He was also a missionary for the Church of the New Jerusalem, which is based on the theological writings of Emanuel Swedenborg.