Father Abraham
Apple
USDA Pomological Watercolor Collection
Father Abraham
Origin/History
From Virginia, where it is much esteemed and extensively propagated (Coxe, 1817). Elliott (1865) notes it was "considerably grown in Kentucky" as well. Thomas (1903) lists it as a Virginia and Kentucky variety.
Tree
Not described in source.
Fruit
Size: Small.
Form: Flat.
Stem: Not described in source.
Cavity: Not described in source.
Calyx: Not described in source.
Basin: Not described in source.
Skin: Red, with spots and blotches of darker red, with a little yellow. Texture very thin and tender.
Flesh/Flavor: White and breaking, juicy, of an agreeable taste though not rich (Coxe). Coxe describes the flesh as "tinged with red next to the skin"; Elliott, copying the same description, renders this as "tinged with red next the sun" — the two phrasings differ meaningfully, with Coxe's suggesting red coloration directly beneath the skin, and Elliott's suggesting coloration on the sun-exposed side. Thomas (1903) characterizes the flavor simply as pleasant.
Core/Seeds: Not described in source.
Season
Early winter table apple. Keeps until April (Coxe; confirmed by Elliott). Thomas notes it keeps well.
Uses
Table apple.
Subtypes/Variants
Not described in source.
Other
Not described in source.
Book Sources
Described in 3 period pomological works
USDA Nomenclature (1905)
From W.H. Ragan, Nomenclature of the Apple, USDA Bulletin No. 56
From Transactions Ohio Pom. Society.
View original book sources (3)
— William Coxe, A View of the Cultivation of Fruit Trees (1817)NO. 98. FATHER ABRAHAM.
This is a small apple of a flat form; the skin is red, with spots and blotches of red, with a little yellow; the texture very thin and tender—the flesh is tinged with red next to the skin—is white, breaking, and juicy; of an agreeable taste though not rich: it is an early winter table apple, and will keep till April. In Virginia, whence I procured it, it is much esteemed, and extensively propagated.
— F.R. Elliott, The Western Fruit Book (1865)Father Abraham.
From Virginia; considerably grown in Kentucky. We copy Coxe's description: "Small, flat, red, little yellow, spots and blotches of darker red; texture, thin, tender; flesh, white, tinged with red next the sun, juicy, agreeable. Early Winter. Keeps till April."
— John J. Thomas, The American Fruit Culturist (1903)Father Abraham. Small, flat, red; flesh white, pleasant. Keeps well. Va. and Ky.