Henderson Lewelling

The father of the Pacific Coast fruit industry was first an active participant in the anti-slavery movement. 

In 1837, Henderson Lewelling was a merchant and nurseryman in the newly-established Quaker community of Salem, Iowa.  Salem was only 25 miles from Missouri, a slave state, and many of its residents had strong anti-slavery beliefs, making the town an active stop on the Underground Railroad.

Like other Quaker Meetings across the country, the Salem group experienced a division within in its membership over the action the community should take in opposing slavery. The Society of Friends (Quakers) opposed slavery, but some members

felt that they should not participate in helping fugitive slaves to freedom.  Lewelling formed an abolitionist splinter group, and began participating in the Underground Railroad, a network of slavery opponents helping runaway slaves escape to free states.  They met at Lewelling's house, which was probably also a haven for fugitive slaves.

In 1847, Henderson Lewelling left Iowa for Oregon, filing a claim on land in Milwaukie in the Willamette Valley.  He brought with him hundreds of tiny fruit trees in earth-filled boxes via a wagon train across the long, hard Oregon Trail.  With these he established a new nursery. Within four years, the Lewelling nursery had over 18,000 fruit trees ready for sale!  Henderson's brother Seth staked his own claim to fame by developing a cherry variety he named "Bing" after his faithful Chinese helper.  When Bing cherries were exhibited at the 1876 Centennial Exposition people marveled at their size, mistaking them for crabapples!

About Henderson Lewelling's Willamette Fruit Mix

This is not your garden-variety fruit mix.  We skipped the prunes and included all your favorites from the valleys of the Northwest: apples, pears, peaches, cherries, apricots, strawberries, blackberries and raspberries.  Order two or three; you won't be sorry.  Net weight 16 oz.