Ohio,
One of the central northern States of the
United States, is situated between lat. 38° 27′ and 41° 57′ N. and long.
80° 34′ and 84° 49′ W. The
Ohio River separates it from
Kentucky on the south and from
West Virginia south and east.
Pennsylvania bounds it in part on the east,
Indiana on the west, and
Lake Erie on the north.
Its greatest length from east to west is about 225 miles; greatest breadth from north to south is about 210 miles. Area, 39,964 square miles, in eighty-eight counties.
The surface consists of an undulating plain, most of it arable without excessive outlay.
Population, 1890, 3,672,316; 1900, 4,157,545.
It ranks fourth in wealth and population among the States of the
Union.
Capital,
Columbus.
Letters patent issued by James I. of
England, under which
England claimed
Ohio afterwards......April 10, 1606
Charter of the London Company granted by James I. of lands west of
the Alleghanies and northwest of the
Ohio River......1609
Eries, of southern and eastern shores of
Lake Erie, conquered by
Iroquois......1656
La Salle enters the
Ohio Valley from the
Niagara region, discovers the
Ohio River, and explores it as far as the rapids at
Louisville......August, 1669
[It is now generally held that
La Salle discovered the
Ohio, descending to the falls at
Louisville.
This conclusion, while no doubt sound, is reached by cautious criticism of fragmentary documents.]
France takes formal possession of the
Northwest “from the mouth of the great river on the eastern side, otherwise called the
Ohio” ......1671
Joliet indicates the
Ohio country on his map of the
Northwest......1674
La Salle launches the
Griffin on
Lake Erie and coasts along the northern frontier of
Ohio......August, 1679
Iroquois convey Western lands east of the
Illinois to the
English by treaty......1684
Nicholas Perrot, with twenty Frenchmen, marches into the
Miami country; French establish a post near the
Ohio boundary......1686
English traders crossing the
Ohio country are arrested by the
French......1687
Treaty of
Ryswick, by which
France claims the
Ohio Valley......September, 1697
French erect a trading-post near the mouth of the
Maumee......1705
Governor Spotwood, of
Virginia, urges the
English government to occupy the
valley of the Ohio......1709
Vaudreuil, governor of
Canada, opens a trading route to the
Mississippi by
Lake Erie, the
Maumee and
Ohio rivers......1720
Treaty of
Lancaster, Pa.: territory “beyond the mountains” ceded by the
Iroquois to the
English......June, 1744
Virginia colonists form the Ohio Company for occupation and settlement of the
Ohio Valley......1748
Celeron de Bienville's expedition to and down the
Ohio River to the mouth of the great
Miami......1749
England grants the Ohio Company 600,000 acres of land......1749
Gist and
Croghan lead a party of English explorers into the
Ohio country......1749
Charles Townshend, of the
English ministry, urges the forcible seizure of the
Ohio region......1752
French and Indians attack the
English trading-post of Pickawillany (
Piqua), capture and destroy it......June, 1752
Duquesne sends a French expedition of occupation into the
Ohio Valley......1753
Dinwiddie, governor of
Virginia, determines upon the forcible occupation of the
Ohio country......1753
Expedition of Washington to St. Pierre at Le Boeuf......1753
Frederick Post, first Moravian missionary in
Ohio, settles on the
Muskingum......1761
Treaty of
Paris:
France cedes to
England all
Canada and the
French possessions from
the Alleghanies to the
Mississippi......Feb. 10, 1763
First general conspiracy of the
Northwestern Indians under
Pontiac......1763
Bouquet's expedition into the
Ohio country; treaty with the Indians; Indians return captives......1764
Ohio country made part of
Canada......1765
Indian and Moravian village of
Schonbrunn built on the
Tuscarawas by
David Zeisberger......1772
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Lord Dunmore's expedition against the
Indian towns on the
Scioto......1774
Battle of Point Pleasant on the
Ohio......Oct. 10, 1774
Two block-houses built on the site of
Cincinnati......1780
Birth of
Mary Heckewelder, daughter of
John Heckewelder the Moravian missionary; first white child known to have been born in
Ohio......April 16, 1781
English establish a fort at
Sandusky......1782
Massacre of the
Moravian Indians at Gnadenhutten on the
Tuscarawas by a company of men from
western Pennsylvania and
Virginia under command of
Colonel Williamson......March 8, 1782
Expedition under
Col. William Crawford against the
Ohio Indians on the
Muskingum.
Five hundred volunteers from
Pennsylvania and
Virginia, mounted, assemble in
Ohio, about 75 miles below
Pittsburg......May 20, 1782
March commences from Mingo Bottom in what is now Steubenville township,
Jefferson county......May 25, 1782
They are defeated by the Indians near upper
Sandusky......June 5-6, 1782
Colonel Crawford, being captured by the Indians, is put to death with barbarity......June 11, 1782
Virginia legislature authorizes her delegates to convey the
Northwest Territory to the
United States......Dec. 20, 1783
Virginia deed of cession dated......March 1, 1784
New Ohio Company formed in
Boston......1786
Rufus Putnam,
Samuel Parsons, and
Manasseh Cutler made directors of the Ohio Company......March, 1787
Northwest territorial government established......July 13, 1787
Gen. Samuel H. Parsons appointed judge in and over the territory of the
United States northwest of the
Ohio River......1787
Mayflower leaves Sumrill's Ferry on the Youghiogheny with pioneers from
Danvers, Mass., and
Hartford, Conn., to form a permanent settlement in
Ohio......April 2, 1788
They land at
Marietta......April 7, 1788
First meeting of the agents and directors of the Ohio Company west of
the Alleghanies; they name the place
Marietta, after
Marie Antoinette,
Queen of
France......July 2, 1788
Gen. Arthur St. Clair arrives at Fort Harmar as governor of Northwestern Territory......July 9, 1788
Washington county formed......July 12, 1788
Governor St. Clair establishes civil government......July 15, 1788
Losantiville, afterwards
Cincinnati, laid out......August, 1788
First court held in
Ohio at
Marietta......Sept. 2, 1788
Act confirming the territorial government passed first session, first Congress......1789
Gen. James M. Varnum, pioneer of the
State, and a judge of Northwestern Territory, dies at
Marietta......1789
Hamilton county formed......Jan. 2, 1790
Fort Washington erected at
Cincinnati......1790
First Masonic lodge of the
West established at
Marietta......1790
Whites at
Big Bottom, Morgan county, massacred by
Indians......1790
Gen. Joseph Harmar's expedition against the
Miami Indians......Sept. 30, 1790
Partially defeated near the
Miami villages, the expedition fails......Oct. 22, 1790
Expedition of General St. Clair against the Indians; surprised and defeated near
Miami villages (now in
Darke county,......Nov. 4, 1791
[Except
Braddock's, the worst defeat ever experienced in Indian warfare; of about 1,800 men he lost 800.]
Benjamin Tupper, chief promoter of the settlement of
Marietta, dies there......1792
First newspaper of the
Northwest, the
Sentinel,
editor William Maxwell, appears at
Cincinnati......1793
After the defeat of
St. Clair,
General Wayne was appointed to command against the Indians.
Marching into the
Indian country late in the autumn of 1793, he built a stockade near the scene of
St. Clair's defeat, naming it
Fort Recovery; here he remained until the spring of 1794, when he proceeded through the wilderness to the
Maumee.
Before meeting the Indians in battle,
Wayne offered to treat, but on their refusal advanced with his usual dash and vigor, with about 2,000 men, and defeated them at
Fallen Timbers, or Maumee Rapids......Aug. 20, 1794
General Wayne's treaty with the Indians at
Greenville, Darke county......Aug. 3, 1795
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488]
Town of
Dayton laid out......Nov. 4, 1795
First settlement on the
Western Reserve begun at
Conneaut, “the
Plymouth of the
Reserve” ......July 4, 1796
Town of
Chillicothe laid out......1796
Settlement started at
Cleveland......September, 1796
William Henry Harrison appointed secretary of Northwestern Territory......1798
Steubenville settled......September, 1798
Governor St. Clair directs an election of delegates for a territorial assembly......Oct. 29, 1798
First territorial Assembly meets at
Cincinnati......Jan. 22, 1799
First weekly newspaper in the
Northwest, the
Western spy and Hamilton gazette,
Joseph Carpenter editor, appears at
Cincinnati......May 28, 1799
William Henry Harrison elected delegate to Congress......Oct. 3, 1799
Zanesville settled......Oct. 3, 1799
Territory divided into: (1) Territory northwest of the
Ohio River (now
Ohio) and (2)
Territory of Indiana......May 7, 1800
Chillicothe made the seat of government for
Ohio......1800
St. Clair reappointed governor......1800
Four land-offices established to sell public lands, at
Steubenville,
Marietta,
Cincinnati, and
Chillicothe......May 10, 1800
First State-house erected at
Chillicothe......1801
Abraham Whipple takes the first ship, 100 tons, built at
Marietta, down the
Ohio and
Mississippi to
Havana, and thence to
Philadelphia......1801
By authority from Congress, a convention meets at
Chillicothe, Nov. 3, which signs and ratifies for the people the first constitution of
Ohio......Nov. 29, 1802
Ohio is admitted into the
Union as the fourth under the
Constitution of the United States, and the seventeenth in the roll of States......Nov. 29, 1802
St. Clair deposed as governor by
Jefferson......December, 1802
State legislature meets at
Chillicothe, the capital......March 1, 1803
Ohio University (non-sectarian) opened at
Athens......1804
[This university was founded in 1802 by the territorial legislature, and endowed by Congress with two townships, or 46,000 acres of land.
In 1804 the act was confirmed by the State legislature.
In 1810 a grammar school was opened, and in 1821 a college was organized.]
Aaron Burr's expedition to
Southwestern Territory......1805
Portsmouth, Scioto county, settled.1805
Indians cede to the
United States the tract known as the Connecticut Reserve; treaty concluded at
Fort Industry......July 4, 1805
State legislature orders the seizure of the boats building on the
Muskingum for the “
Aaron Burr expedition” ......Dec. 2, 1806
State capital removed from
Chillicothe to
Zanesville......1810
Population of the
State, 230,760......1810
Matthew Simpson,
bishop Methodist Episcopal Church, born
Cadiz......June 21, 1810
First steamboat on the
Ohio, the
New Orleans, 400 tons, built at
Pittsburg, descends the
Ohio to New Orleans in fourteen days......1811
War with
England declared; three regiments raised in
Ohio......1812
Columbus laid out......1812
Col. Israel Putnam, one of the pioneers of the
State, and a son of
Gen. Israel Putnam, dies at Belpre......1812
Solomon Spaulding writes a work of fiction,
The manuscript found, at
Salem, which afterwards furnishes the basis of the
Mormon Bible......1812
General Harrison builds Fort Meigs,
Wood county......February, 1813
General Harrison defends this fort against the combined attack of 2,800 British and Indians under
General Proctor and the
Indian chief Tecumseh......May 1-8, 1813
Fort Meigs again besieged by about 4,000 British and Indians under the same commanders without success......July 21, 1813
Fort Stephenson held by
Maj. George Croghan, with 150 men against 1,300 British and Indians......Aug. 2, 1813
Judge John C. Symms, one of the first settlers of
Cincinnati, dies there......Feb. 26, 1814
Edwin McMasters Stanton,
Secretary of War, 1862-68, born at
Steubenville......Dec. 19, 1814
Great financial distress......1815
Columbus made the capital of the
State......1816
First steamboat built at
Cincinnati......1816
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489]
United States bank opened at
Cincinnati......Jan. 28, 1817
German community established at Zoar......1817
United States bank opened at
Chillicothe......October, 1817
Indians of
Ohio cede all their remaining lands in that State, about 4,000,000 acres, to the
State......Sept. 27, 1818
Medical college opened at
Cincinnati......1819
First steamboat on
Lake Erie......1819
William S. Rosecrans born at
Kingston......Dec. 6, 1819
William Tecumseh Sherman born at
Mansfield......Feb. 8, 1820
Population: 581,295, 14.1 to the square mile; fifth State in population......1820
Ulysses S. Grant born at
Point Pleasant......April 27, 1822
Rutherford B. Hayes born at
Delaware......Oct. 4, 1822
County tax of 1/2 mill levied for the support of common schools......1825
Return
Jonathan Meigs, Jr., one of the first settlers of
Marietta and governor of the
State, 1810-14, dies at
Marietta......March 29, 1825
Great tornado, “the Burlington storm,” passes through
Licking county......May 18, 1825
Ohio and Lake Erie Canal begun,
Governor Clinton, of New York, removing the first shovelful of earth......July 4, 1825
Maumee Canal begun......1825
Lafayette visits
Ohio; received with great honor......1825
Ohio Mechanics' Institute established at
Cincinnati......1828
County school tax increased to 3/4 mill......1829
Population: 937,903, 22.7 to square mile......1830
College of Teachers organized at
Cincinnati......1831
James A. Garfield born at
Orange, Cuyahoga county......Nov. 19, 1831
Great floods throughout
Ohio......1832
Lane Theological Seminary (Presbyterian) opened at
Cincinnati......1832
Charter granted to the
Cincinnati,
Sandusky, and Cleveland Railroad......June 5, 1832
Mormons, under
Joseph Smith, settled at
Kirtland, Lake county......1832
Ohio and Lake Erie Canal, from Portsmouth on the
Ohio to
Cleveland on
Lake Erie, 307 miles, cost $5,000,000, finished......1832
Law School opened at Cincinnati College......1833
Oberlin College opened at
Oberlin......1833
School tax increased to 1 mill......1834
Maumee Canal,
Cincinnati to Defiance, 178 miles, where it meets the
Wabash and
Erie; whole distance to
Lake Erie, 265 miles, cost $3,750,000, finished......1834
County school tax increased to 1 1/4 mills......1835
Charter granted to the
Sandusky,
Mansfield, and Newark Railroad......March 11, 1835
Charter granted to the Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati Railroad; capital, $3,000,000......March 16, 1835
Mad River and
Lake Erie Railroad, from
Dayton to
Sandusky, 153 miles, commenced (first in the
State)......September, 1835
City charter granted
Cleveland......1836
Northern boundary of the
State changed from parallel of the most southern point of Lake Michigan to a direct line running from this point to the most northern cape of Maumee Bay, giving the
State its present boundary......1836
Prof. W. W. Mather makes the first geological survey of the
State......1837
A portion of the
Mad River and
Lake Erie Railroad opened; first in the
State......1838
Population: 1,519,467, 37.3 to square mile......1840
First railroad completed;
Cincinnati to
Springfield......1842
William McKinley, born at
Niles, O.......Jan. 29, 1843
Corner-stone of the
Cincinnati Observatory laid......1843
Cincinnati Historical Society organized......1844
Ohio Wesleyan University opened at
Delaware......1844
Five volunteer regiments raised for the
Mexican War......1846
Otterbein University opened at Westerville......1847
Philip H. Sheridan,
general United States army, born at
Albany, N. Y., 1831, appointed to
West Point from
Ohio......1848
Columbus and Xenia Railroad opened to
Cincinnati......1850
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490]
Population, 1,980,329; 48.6 to square mile......1850
Railroad opened from
Cleveland to
Columbus, 135 miles......1851
Second constitution of the State: Convention met at
Columbus, May 6, 1850; adjourned, July 7, on account of the cholera; reassembled at
Cincinnati, Dec. 2; completed its labors......March 10, 1851
Ratified by the people, 126,663 to 109,699......1852
Governor's term of office two years from......Jan. 1, 1852
Cleveland and Pittsburg Railroad opened......1852
Laws reorganizing common schools, creating State school commissioner, board of education, abolishing rate bills, State tax of 1/2 mill yearly in place of county tax......March 14, 1853
Cleveland and Toledo Railroad opened......1853
Railroad opened from
Wheeling, Va., to
Columbus, 137 miles......1854
Baldwin University opened at
Berea......1856
Ohio State and Union Law School opened at
Cleveland......1856
It is made a penitentiary offence to claim or hold slaves in the
State, or to attempt to carry from the
State as a slave any person of color......1857
Arrest and confinement in the county jail at
Cleveland of
Prof. Henry E. Peck, of Oberlin College, and others, under the fugitive slave law, for rescuing at
Wellington the negro “Little John,” taken from
Oberlin as a slave by a
United States deputy marshal......Sept. 13, 1858
Indicted in the
United States court......December, 1858
Bushnell, one of the rescuers, is found guilty in the federal court at
Cleveland......April 15, 1859
Supreme Court of
Ohio refuse
Bushnell's application for a habeas corpus, the proceeding against him in the federal court not being terminated......April 28, 1859
Severe frosts throughout the
State destroy most of the wheat......June 5, 1859
Governor Dennison, on the requisition of
Governor Letcher, refuses to arrest
Owen Brown and
Francis Merriam, indicted in
Virginia for acts at
Harper's Ferry......March 8, 1860
Tornado on the
Ohio River from
Louisville, Ky., to
Marietta; 150 lives lost and property destroyed to the amount of $1,000,000. Great damage done in
Cincinnati......May 21, 1860
Population, 2,339,511; 57.4 to square mile......1860
United States calls for thirteen regiments from
Ohio......April 15, 1861
Law authorizing the acceptance of ten regiments beyond required number, and providing $500,000 to support them......1861
Two regiments organized at
Columbus and sent forward without arms or uniforms to
Washington......April 18, 1861
$1,000,000 appropriated to prepare the
State for war......1861
Law declaring the property of volunteers free from execution for debt during term of service......1861
Adjutant-general of the
State reports that the following troops have been raised: Infantry, 67,546; cavalry, 7,270; artillery, 3,028; total for three years service, 77,844, up to......Dec. 31, 1861
Under the “three months call” the
State had furnished 22,000 infantry, 180 cavalry, and 200 artillerymen......1861
Gen. Kirby Smith threatens
Cincinnati......Sept. 6, 7, 1862
Ohio State University founded......1862
Clement L. Vallandigham arrested by
General Burnside......May 5, 1863
Democratic convention nominates
Clement L. Vallandigham for governor......June 11, 1863
Confederate
Gen. John H. Morgan, with cavalry, crosses the
Ohio on a raid through
Indiana and
Ohio......July 3, 1863
Captured with most of his command at New Lisbon......July 26, 1863
Confined in
Ohio penitentiary, he escapes......November, 1863
Soldiers' monument erected at
Cincinnati......1864
Number of men, reduced to a threeyears' standard, furnished by
Ohio for the
Civil War, 240,514, from April 15, 1861, to......April 9, 1865
University of
Wooster established at
Wooster......1866
Cincinnati suspension bridge opened to the public......1867
Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College, State control, opened at
Columbus......1870
[
491]
Cincinnati University opened at
Cincinnati......1870
Population, 2,665,260; 65.3 to square mile......1870
Vallandigham accidentally kills himself with a revolver while illustrating in court a case of homicide......June 18, 1871
Completion of the canal around
Louisville......1872
Revised constitution rejected by the people......1873
Population, 3,198,062; 78.5 to square mile......1880
Train bearing the remains of
President Garfield arrives at
Cleveland......Sept. 24, 1881
Western Reserve College removed to
Cleveland and renamed Adelbert, after a son of
Amasa Stone, who gave the
College $500,000......1882
Great flood in the
Ohio, submerging parts of
Cincinnati and
Louisville; at
Cincinnati the river rose 66 feet......Feb. 10-15, 1883
Ninety-fifth anniversary of the settlement of
Ohio celebrated at
Marietta......1883
Great flood of the
Ohio; thousands rendered homeless.
Congress appropriates $500,000 for relief......Feb. 12-15, 1884
Riots at
Cincinnati, because of failure to punish criminals by law; forty-two killed and 120 wounded......March 28-30, 1884
Dow law passed, taxing the liquor traffic......1885
State board of health established......1885
John Sherman is re-elected
United States Senator......Feb. 12, 1886
Waterspout at
Xenia kills twenty-five persons, destroys 100 houses......May 19, 1886
Centennial celebration of the first settlement in
Ohio at
Marietta......April 7, 1888
Sunday liquor law passed......1888
Ohio Valley and
Central States Centennial Exhibition opens at
Cincinnati......July 4, 1888
Organization of “White Caps” disband on promise from authorities not to proceed against them; last outbreak, the whipping of
Adam Berkes in
Sardinia,
Brown county, accused of immoral conduct......Nov. 17, 1888
Population, 3,672,316; 92.1 to square mile......1890
Calvin S. Brice elected
United States Senator......Jan. 14, 1890
Woman's Christian Temperance League organized at
Cleveland......Jan. 23, 1890
Lieutenant-Governor Lampson, Republican, unseated by Democratic majority in the Senate......Jan. 30, 1890
First Monday in September (Labor Day) made a legal holiday by legislature, which adjourns......April 28, 1890
Garfield memorial at Lakeview Cemetery,
Cleveland, dedicated......May 30, 1890
Ex-Gov. Edward F. Noyes dies at
Cincinnati, aged fifty-eight......Sept. 7, 1890
Legislature meets in extraordinary session, Oct. 14, passes a bill suggested by
Governor Campbell, abolishing two public boards of
Cincinnati, and creating a nonpartisan board of improvement, appointed by the mayor, and adjourns......Oct. 24, 1890
Charles Foster,
Secretary of the United States Treasury......Feb. 25, 1891
Modified Australian ballot act passed at an adjourned session of the legislature......Jan. 6–May 4, 1891
People's party organized at the National Union Conference, held at
Cincinnati, 1,418 delegates from thirty-two States......May 19, 1891
City of
Hamilton celebrates its centennial......Sept. 19, 1891
William McKinley, Jr., inaugurated governor......Jan. 11, 1892
National Prohibition Convention meets at
Cincinnati......June 29, 1892
Gen. John Pope, born in 1823, dies at
Sandusky......Sept. 23, 1892
Ex-President Hayes, born in 1822, dies at his home at
Fremont......Jan. 17, 1893
Gen. J. S. Coxey's army of the commonweal, numbering seventy-five men, organizes at
Massillon, moves from that place to
Canton, 8 miles......March 26, 1894
Strike affecting 150,000 miners ordered at
Columbus......April 20, 1894
Allen G. Thurman dies at
Columbus......Dec. 12, 1895
The centenary of the settlement of
Cleveland celebrated......July 22, 1896
Militia fires upon a lynching-party at
Urbana, four persons killed......June 4, 1897
Coal-miners went on strike......July 2, 1897
[Ended by compromise Sept. 11.]
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Accident at Robinson's Opera-house in
Cincinnati, thirty-five killed or injured......Oct. 15, 1897
Ex-Secretary of the Interior Jacob D. Cox dies at
Oberlin......Aug. 4, 1900
Race riot at
Akron......Aug. 22, 1900
John Sherman dies at
Washington, D. C.......Oct. 22, 1900
Tom L. Johnson elected mayor of
Cleveland......April 1, 1901
International Christian Endeavor convention meets at
Cincinnati......July 6, 1901
President McKinley shot at
Buffalo, Sept. 7; dies......Sept. 14, 1901
[Private funeral service in
Buffalo, Sept. 16; the body lies in State at the
Capitol,
Washington, D. C., Sept. 18; the interment at
Canton, O., Sept. 19.]
Oklahoma