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Timeline of Worthington History
This timeline was prepared for the Worthington Bicentennial with assistance from Jennie McCormick
c. 8000 BC —
c. 500 BC 		Ohio Archaic hunter-gatherers follow rivers in seasonal migrations. +
c. 2000 BC —
c. 1000 BC 		Worthington Stone ax from this time period discovered in 1989 near creek west of Wilson Hill School.
c. 800 BC —
c. 100 AD 		Ohio Adena culture: Miamisburg Mound built -- the largest conical burial mound in the state of Ohio and possibly in the eastern U.S. +
  Columbus and Central Ohio Mound Street commemorates Adena mounds destroyed near Franklin County Courthouse. Adena mound still standing at Highbanks Metro Park.
  Worthington Adena mounds on Plesenton Drive constructed.
  Columbus and Central Ohio Adena mounds at Highbanks Metro Park.
c. 100 BC —
c. 400 AD 		Ohio "Hopewell culture expands Adena mound-building tradition with ceremonial structures and effigy mounds along the Miami, Little Miami, Scioto, and Muskingum Rivers and their tributaries. Hopewell earthworks were larger and were made in many different shapes. They built earthen enclosures in the shapes of circles, squares, octagons, parallel lines, and other forms." +
  Columbus and Central Ohio Newark and Chillicothe Hopewell earthworks are among the most extensive in the country.
  Worthington Rectangular and semi-circular earthworks erected around Adena mound on Plesenton Drive.
c. 600 —
c. 1200 		Ohio Late Woodland culture: The people that archaeologists call Late Woodland seem to be the descendants of the Hopewell culture. However, for reasons that are not yet clearly understood, they did not continue their ancestors' habit of building large geometric earthworks or of importing exotic raw materials such as obsidian and mica. ^
  Columbus and Central Ohio Earthworks at Highbanks Metro Park constructed, possibly as fortifications.
   1670    Ohio French explorer LaSalle discovers the Ohio River. +
   1674    Ohio French map first depicts the Ohio River and credits its discovery to LaSalle.
c. 1730 —
c. 1750 		Ohio "Wyandot, Mingo, Ottawa, Delaware, Shawnee and Miami Indians establish several villages throughout Ohio."
  Columbus and Central Ohio The southern of two known Mingo towns was located within present day Columbus.
   1745    Ohio British fort erected on Sandusky Bay. +
   1748    Ohio Ohio Land Company formed, plans to colonize Ohio. +
   1772    Ohio David Zeisberger and other Moravian missionaries establish Schoenbrunn mission. +
   1774 October 10    Ohio Battle at Point Pleasant was most intense battle between whites and Indians ever fought along the Ohio River.
   1782    Ohio "Ninety-six Delaware Indians, all peaceable Christians, are slaughtered at Gnadenhutten, the last atrocity by frontiersmen against Indians during the American Revolution." +
  Worthington Colonel William Crawford, after leading a failed campaign against Indians allied with the British, is captured, tortured, and killed by the Delawares. +
   1783    Ohio Treaty of Paris ends Revolutionary War -- Ohio Valley ceded to emerging United States +
   1785    Ohio Land Ordinance of 1785 -- townships organized in Ohio. +
  Ohio Northwest Ordinance establishes government for Ohio Territory. +
   1787 July 13    Ohio "Congress enacts the Northwest Ordinance to establish government for the Northwest Territory, a region that includes the future states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin."
   1788 April 7    Ohio "Forty-eight members of the Ohio Company's advance party land at junction of Muskingum and Ohio Rivers to establish Marietta, the first permanent European-American settlement in Ohio." +
   1789    Ohio Fort Washington erected at present-day Cincinnati. +
   1794 August 20    Ohio "General "Mad" Anthony Wayne defeats Blue Jacket's force of more than 1,000 warriors at the Battle of Fallen Timbers, destroying Indian power in Ohio." +
   1795 August 3    Ohio Indian representatives sign Treaty of Greenville, surrendering all Ohio lands east and south of a line from Ft. Laurens to Ft. Laramie to Ft. Recovery, losing all but one quarter of Ohio. +
   1796    Ohio Town of Cleveland platted by Moses Cleveland. +
  Ohio Zane's Trail, Ohio's first formal road, is completed from Adams County to Jefferson City. +
   1796 June 1    Ohio Congress establishes a U.S. Military District to satisfy land claims of Revolutionary War veterans. This includes the northern half of the future Franklin County. Ebenezer Zane improves Indian trails to construct Ohio's first "road" connecting the upper Ohio River at Wheeling with Aberdeen in Adams County. +
   1797    Columbus and Central Ohio Lucas Sullivant surveys and founds the town of Franklinton on the west bank of the Scioto River. He is accompanied by Arthur Boke, the first African-American living in the Columbus area. *
   1799    Ohio First Northwest Territory legislature meets in Cincinnati. +
   1800    Ohio Harrison Land Act makes possible the sale of land west of the Muskingum to individuals at $2 per acre. +
  National Indiana Territory separates from Ohio. +
  Ohio Connecticut releases claim to land in northeast Ohio known as the Western Reserve. +
   1802    Worthington On Thomas Worthington's advice, the Scioto Company purchases 16,000 acres of land -- the western half of Sharon Twp. -- for $1.25 per acre.
   1802 April 30    Ohio President Jefferson signs Enabling Act for Ohio statehood.
   1802 May 5    Worthington "The Scioto Company organizes at Granby, Conn."
   1802 August 4    Worthington James Kilbourne and Nathaniel Little leave Connecticut to look at available lands. After exploring southern Franklin Co. and the Pickaway Plains, they return to Connecticut without having seen the land they would eventually purchase.
   1802 August 4 —
   1802 September 20 		Worthington James Kilbourn and Nathaniel Little travel from Connecticut to Ohio to look at land available for the Scioto Company purchase.
   1802 November 1 —
   1802 November 29 		Ohio Thirty-five elected delegates meet at Chillicothe to write Ohio's first constitution.
   1802 December 14    Worthington Constitution and articles of agreement for Scioto Company are signed.
   1803    Columbus and Central Ohio Franklin County established with Franklinton established as its county seat. »
  Worthington Double log cabin is built on the lot facing the northeast quadrant of the public square as a temporary site for school, church, community meetings, and social activities. ‡
   1803 February 19    Ohio President Jefferson signs Congressional bill admitting Ohio as the 17th state. +
   1803 March 7    Worthington "Scioto Company members contract to buy 16,000 acres in the U.S. military district from Jonas Stanbury and Jonathan Dayton for $1.25 per acre. Half of this becomes Worthington and half is in Clinton Township and Delaware County."
   1803 April —
   1803 July 		Worthington "Kilbourn leads advance party to Ohio to clear land, plant corn, survey town lots and erect temporary shelters."
   1803 April 6    Worthington Kilbourne leaves for Worthington site, followed by workers from Connecticut, to clear land for the settlers arriving in the fall.
   1803 August 10    Worthington Scioto Company votes to name town for Thomas Worthington, one of Ohio's first two senators, and for each member to contribute $2 (about four days wages) to support a library." ‡
   1803 September    Worthington First settlers leave New England for Worthington by oxcart.
  National Louisiana Purchase from France doubles the size of the U.S.
   1803 October 19    Worthington New England Lodge No. 4 chartered by the Grand Lodge of Connecticut. 13 Scioto Company members were Master Masons. James Kilbourne served as the first master until 1812. ‡
   1803 December 1    Worthington Scioto Company holds its first meeting in Worthington.
   1803 December 12    Worthington Scioto Company grants Ezra Griswold the right to "keep a publick house for the Entertainment of Travelers."
   1803 December 23    Worthington Library officially founded.
   1803 December 26    Worthington First Christmas celebration in Worthington includes toasts and a ball.
   1804    Ohio "Ohio University is chartered, the first college in Ohio and the Old Northwest Territory." +
  Columbus and Central Ohio The Ohio legislature passes "Black Laws" that require all African Americans to post bond and proof of free status.
  Worthington School committeemen, selected in 1804, hold the first two-month school session, taught by Clarissa Thompson. This was a subscription rather than a public school. Classes were held in a cabin facing the northeast side of the public square. Wyandot Indians camp near the Olentagy, and bring furs into Worthington to trade for goods.
   1804 February —
   1804 March 		Worthington Thomas Phelps teaches first subscription school in a log cabin on northeast quadrant of public square.
   1804 February 6    Worthington "Articles of agreement executed to form St. John's Church, the first Episcopal society in Ohio. The proprietors reserved a double lot on the public square for a church building and 100 acres of farmland to support it." ‡
   1804 February 8    Worthington "The double wedding of Abner P. Pinney and Polly Morrison, Levi Pinney and Charlotte Beach was the first wedding in Worthington"
   1804 August 11    Worthington Scioto Co. members sign partition deed to divide 8,000 acres into farm lots and 164 town lots, reserving two on the public square for a school and two for the Episcopal Church." ‡
   1804 November 23    Worthington Abner Pinney's death is the first in the village and the first burial in St. John's churchyard. ‡
   1805    Worthington Worthington receives its first post office. ‡
  Worthington First grist mill established on the Olentangy near Worthington. *
   1805    Worthington Sarah Brandy and Polly Nate are the first African-Americans in Worthington.
   1805 January 28    Worthington Scioto Company disbands, having achieved its purpose.
   1805 November —
   1805 December 		Worthington Presbyterian ministry licentiates sent to Worthington area to contact Presbyterians and conduct worship. This led to the organization of Liberty Presbyterian Church in 1810.
   1807    Worthington Ezra Griswold obtains a tavern license. †
   1807 April 1    Worthington Worthington's first post office authorized and Nathaniel Little becomes postmaster. ‡
   1808    Worthington "James Kilbourn erects a commercial building for a newspaper, store and survey office. This building stands at 679-681 High St. as the oldest commercial building in continuous use in the state." ‡
  Worthington Methodist circuit riders first preach to a group of settlers at the home of Samuel Beach south of the village.
  Worthington Methodist Episcopal Church commenced in the Village. *
  Worthington Squirrel Tax imposed. 1,257 squirrels reported killed. *
   1808 February 20    Worthington Worthington Academy is incorporated by the Ohio legislature and a brick building is begun facing the northeast quadrant of the public square. Its bell now adorns Kilbourne Middle School. *
   1810    Columbus and Central Ohio Chief Leatherlips executed along the Scioto River north of Dublin by fellow Wyandot tribesmen angered by his refusal to fight the white settlers. *
   1811    Ohio "New Madrid earthquake, the strongest in U.S. history, rocks the Ohio and Mississippi valleys."
  Worthington "Ezra Griswold builds a large, south-facing brick tavern on the lot north of the northeast quadrant of the public square." †
  Worthington Itinerant Methodist preachers hold a revival meeting on the east bank of the Whetstone River south of Worthington. Enough converts are made to form a "class meeting" with Worthington resident Joab Hoyt as leader.
  Worthington James Kilbourne founds the Worthington Manufacturing Company. *
   1811 July 11    Worthington "The Western Intelligencer, Franklin County's first newspaper, begins publication." *
   1812    Worthington Summer revival meetings lead to the formation of a Methodist "class meeting" led by Joab Hoyt.
  Worthington President James Madison urges James Kilbourne to make woolen cloth for soldiers' uniforms. A new mill is built. *
  Worthington Militia drills on the public square (Village Green) in preparation for war. ‡