First Fruits

First Fruits offers a fascinating look at the lives of Pacific Coast horticulturists Henderson, Jonathan, and Seth Lewelling. Traveling across the Overland TrailHenderson to Oregon in 1847, with a wagonload of fruit trees, and Seth and John to California three years laterthe brothers would establish themselves as pioneers in the Wests growing fruit industry. By recounting how Henderson planted the first orchard of grafted fruit trees in Oregon, how Seth originated the Black Republican and Bing cherries, and how John led the development of the Napa Valley wine industry, First Fruits preserves the Lewellings place in history. However, the Lewellings were not simply planters, grafters, and breeders. They were also adventurers, colonists, gold seekers, reformists, and explorersexperiencing firsthand the westward expansion of the nation. Their stories provide a unique glimpse into the social, economic, and political history of the day. From their Quaker upbringing in North Carolina and Indiana to Hendersons attempt to start a utopian colony in Honduras, Johns efforts to grow the Grange in California, and Seths contribution to democratic reforms in Oregon, the Lewellings legacy extends beyond their agricultural endeavors. In the first biography to reclaim the brothers histories, Linda Ziedrich splendidly captures their dedicated support of one another and their communities, their contributions to the development of the modern fruit industry, and their lasting influence on the cultivation of fruits synonymous with the Pacific Coast region.