Baltzley apple

If you grow an apple variety called Baltzley or are aware of someone who does, please contact me. I'm interested in the Baltzley variety because it originated in Adams County, Pennsylvania (where my father's side of my family settled) and it's named after a relative of one of my ancestors. 

I first learned of the Baltzley apple from the 1860 "Descriptive Catalogue of Fruit Trees, Plants, and Shrubbery" of Springdale Nurseries, "Situated near Bendersville, Adams County, Pa" which was run by Cyrus Griest and Sons. [Cyrus Griest (1803 - 1869) was a second cousin of my fifth-great-grandfather Nicholas "Hill" Wierman (1771 - 1848), on my grandmother's side. In addition to operating a fruit nursery, Cyrus Griest was an abolitionist and participant in the Underground Railroad.] 

Entry in the catalog under Fall Apples, page 8: "BALTZLEY--Large, flat, pale yellow; flesh tender and juicy, with a rich, sweet, pleasant flavor; excellent and productive. October to November,"

The Baltzley apple variety is listed in The Illustrated History of Apples in the United States and Canada, Volume 1, by Daniel J. Bussey: "Originated on the farm of John Baltzley, Manellen [sic--should be Menallen] Township, Pennsylvania; recorded in 1867. Rather large in size, oblate or roundish oblate, nearly regular. Pale yellow skin, often with a shade of light pale red in the sun, and a few grayish dots....White flesh, half fine, tender, moderately juicy, rather rich, mild subacid to sweet. Good to very good quality."

I suppose this John Baltzley is the one buried at Bendersville Cemetery (1782 - 1868), which is surrounded by Menallen Township.  According to the 1860 Census, his family lived in Menallen.  He might be a brother of my fourth-great-grandfather Jacob Baltzley (1786 - 1840), on my grandfather's side. 

Another John Baltzley (1820 - 1876) was a brother of my third-great-grandfather Peter Baltzley (1812 - 1884). 

Below are watercolors of two Baltzley apples painted by Deborah Griscom Passmore for the USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection. By the way, an apple with a slightly different spelling--Baltzby--was described in The Fruits and Fruit-trees of America (1881) by A. J. and Charles Downing, page 87:  "From Virginia. Tree spreading, productive. Fruit large, oblate, yellowish white, with a faint blush; dots scattered, small, white. Flesh white, firm, somewhat  tough, juicy, almost sweet. Good. October." That seems similar to the apple labeled Baltzley in the second watercolor. 

From "U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection.
Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705"

From "U.S. Department of Agriculture Pomological Watercolor Collection.
Rare and Special Collections, National Agricultural Library, Beltsville, MD 20705"

Added on December 10, 2021: 

From Tilton's Journal of Horticulture and Florist's Companion, Volume 9, 1871, page 204:

"Baltzley. —Tree received from Franklin Davis, Staunton, Va.; is healthy, spreading, open, early productive. Fruit large and handsome, flat, somewhat angular; surface smooth, yellowish-white, faintly blushed; dots small, scattered, white; basin rather deep, abrupt, wavy; eye medium, short, open; cavity medium, wavy, brown; stem medium, green; core small, irregular, not meeting the eye; seeds numerous, angular, brown; flesh white, firm, somewhat tough, juicy; flavor almost sweet, rich. Use, market and family; quality, good; season, October. As a market fruit, this variety will follow the Maiden's Blush, and promises to be equally valuable, though less elegant."

I suppose this Baltzley tree originated in Adams County. I wonder if any records remain that could show it was bought from Springdale Nurseries.

Graceanna Lewis (August 3, 1821-February 25, 1912)

Today, August 3, 2021, is the 200th anniversary of the birth of Graceanna Lewis, an abolitionist, underground railroad station operator, women's rights advocate, artist, and natural scientist. If you have writings (such as letters and articles), photos, prints, artworks, or other material connected to her, please contact me. I've read the brief biography on her by Deborah Miller, Graceanna Lewis: Scientist and Humanitarian, and want to learn more.  

Hannah Wright Mifflin, a first cousin of my fourth great-grandmother Jane Wierman Funk, and Graceanna Lewis were good friends. In letters, Hannah called her Gracie. Both were Quakers raised in abolitionist families that were major participants in the underground railroad. Hannah grew up in the northeast part of Adams County, Pennsylvania, where Gettysburg is the county seat. Her parents, William Wright and Phebe Wierman Wright, as well as Gracie's family were among the underground railroad participants that William Still included in his book, The Underground Railroad (1872). 

Graceanna Lewis grew up near Philadelphia in Chester County. I suppose Hannah and Gracie met through their parents' underground railroad work and got to know each other better at Kimberton Boarding School for Girls, near Gracie's home and where they both studied. My impression from descriptions of the school is that it was similar to a progressive and STEM-focused school of today. 

More information on Graceanna Lewis: "Graceanna Lewis--Abolitionist to Natural Scientist" by Rob Lukens, March 21, 2013 

"From The Plumage Of Birds To The Classification Of The Natural Kingdom: The Life Of Ornithologist Graceanna Lewis" by Dale Debakcsy, March 3, 2021

One of the leaf charts she created for schools:

William Wright and Phebe Wierman Wright: Plainfield Nurseries and Farm of Latimore Township, Adams County, Pennsylvania

If you have information about this fruit nursery when it was run by William Wright and Phebe Wierman Wright in the mid-1800s, please contact me. Phebe was a sister of my 5th great-grandfather Nicholas "Hill" Wierman. William and Phebe Wright were also prominent participants in the underground railroad for over 40 years, starting in 1819. I will write about this in a later post. (Various sources, such as her gravestone, indicate that her name should be spelled Phebe, not Phoebe, as appears in some writings about her in the 1900s up to now.)

Plainfield included what is now the property of 514 Latimore Valley Road and possibly more. The remains of their brick house are among trees east of the newer buildings that are visible from the road. The most recent photos I have seen--shared online and I think taken in the 1990s--show the house crumbling, with much of one side gone. 

Prior to Plainfield, they lived at Woodburn, which was to the west near York Springs, but I know almost nothing about it. I think they were there between 1820 and 1840 and that it was also a nursery. In a piece published in the Gettysburg Times, June 9, 1952, page 6, Gettysburg College professor of history Robert Fortenbaugh places Woodburn "a little more than two miles northwest of York Springs." He goes on to say, "This place was improved by a red brick house which is still standing." I suppose he means it was built by the Wrights. However, I have seen a Facebook comment to a post on the Plainfield house ruins that claims the Woodburn house no longer exists and was located behind what is now an auto auction site at the intersection of US 15 and Bonners Hill Road. This is between 1.5 and two miles northeast of York Springs. I wonder if Prof. Fortenbaugh mistakenly wrote northwest instead of northeast because I think the Facebook commenter has good access to property search tools. I am particularly interested in finding a scanned copy of the catalog/catalouges that were mentioned in ads, such as these: 

From the Star and Republican Banner (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania), August 7, 1846, page 3.

From the Gettysburg Compiler, March 19, 1849, page 3

Notice of sale of Plainfield after the death of William Wright, Adams Sentinel, November 7, 1865, page 2

A little bit of Plainfield's history is described on page 14 in this booklet posted by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission: Adams County Fruit Belt, c. 1875-1960 http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/portal/communities/agriculture/files/context/adams_county_fruit_belt.pdf