Abstract:
William Mills began planting apple orchards in Henderson County, shortly after the Revolutionary War. He was born November 10, 1746, while John Chapman, the famous “Johnny Appleseed,†was born in 1775. His apple orchards preceded Chapman's by thirty years. Today apple growing is a strong pillar in Henderson County's economy. About 65 percent of North Carolina's apple harvest is grown there. The state ranks seventh in the U.S. in apple production.