A Timeline of Chester County History
While Native Americans, Finns, Swedes, and English were living in the Delaware Valley before William Penn established Chester County, this timeline begins in 1682. The pre-Penn era will be added to the timeline at a later date.
1682 Chester County established by William Penn, along with Bucks and Philadelphia Counties.
1722 Botanist Humphry Marshall born in West Bradford.
1729 Lancaster County established out of Chester County.
1777 Battle of the Brandywine.
1786 County seat moved to West Chester (Turk’s Head) from Chester.
1789 Delaware County established out of Chester County.
1792 Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike, the first major toll road in the United States, incorporated.
1794 Ironmaster Rebecca Lukens born near Coatesville.
1799 West Chester incorporated.
1802 Hannah Freeman, also known as “Indian Hannah,” died at the Chester County Poorhouse. She was the last known Lenape to live in Chester County.
1812 Establishment of West Chester Academy, the school that eventually became West Chester University.
1813 Medical doctor and educator, abolitionist, and women’s rights advocate Ann Preston born in West Grove.
1821 Naturalist and abolitionist Graceanna Lewis born in West Vincent Township.
1825 Author and diplomat Bayard Taylor born in Kennett Square.
1825 General Lafayette returned to Chester County on a tour of the United States.
1828 Evan Pugh, the president of the school that would become Pennsylvania State University, born in East Nottingham Township.
1842 (or 1844) Major General Galusha Pennypacker born in Schuylkill Township.
1848 Current historic courthouse opened. The building, which was designed by architect Thomas U. Walter, replaced the 1786 courthouse.
1852 Pennsylvania Woman’s Rights Convention held at West Chester’s Horticultural Hall, the first such meeting in the state.
1855 Longwood Meeting House built, home to the Pennsylvania Yearly Meeting of Progressive Friends, which was established in 1853.
1854 Lincoln University, originally known as Ashmun Institute, founded.
1860 First published biography of Abraham Lincoln appeared in the Chester County Times.
1888 Artist Horace Pippin born in West Chester.
1910 Composer Samuel Barber born in West Chester.
1912 Civil rights activist Bayard Rustin born in West Chester.
CCHS History
While Native Americans, Finns, Swedes, and English were living in the Delaware Valley before William Penn established Chester County, this timeline begins in 1682. The pre-Penn era will be added to the timeline at a later date.
1682 Chester County established by William Penn, along with Bucks and Philadelphia Counties.
1722 Botanist Humphry Marshall born in West Bradford.
1729 Lancaster County established out of Chester County.
1777 Battle of the Brandywine.
1786 County seat moved to West Chester (Turk’s Head) from Chester.
1789 Delaware County established out of Chester County.
1792 Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike, the first major toll road in the United States, incorporated.
1794 Ironmaster Rebecca Lukens born near Coatesville.
1799 West Chester incorporated.
1802 Hannah Freeman, also known as “Indian Hannah,” died at the Chester County Poorhouse. She was the last known Lenape to live in Chester County.
1812 Establishment of West Chester Academy, the school that eventually became West Chester University.
1813 Medical doctor and educator, abolitionist, and women’s rights advocate Ann Preston born in West Grove.
1821 Naturalist and abolitionist Graceanna Lewis born in West Vincent Township.
1825 Author and diplomat Bayard Taylor born in Kennett Square.
1825 General Lafayette returned to Chester County on a tour of the United States.
1828 Evan Pugh, the president of the school that would become Pennsylvania State University, born in East Nottingham Township.
1842 (or 1844) Major General Galusha Pennypacker born in Schuylkill Township.
1848 Current historic courthouse opened. The building, which was designed by architect Thomas U. Walter, replaced the 1786 courthouse.
1852 Pennsylvania Woman’s Rights Convention held at West Chester’s Horticultural Hall, the first such meeting in the state.
1855 Longwood Meeting House built, home to the Pennsylvania Yearly Meeting of Progressive Friends, which was established in 1853.
1854 Lincoln University, originally known as Ashmun Institute, founded.
1860 First published biography of Abraham Lincoln appeared in the Chester County Times.
1888 Artist Horace Pippin born in West Chester.
1910 Composer Samuel Barber born in West Chester.
1912 Civil rights activist Bayard Rustin born in West Chester.
CCHS History
Birmingham Friends Meeting, ca. 1890
Bayard Taylor
Chester County Courthouse, West Chester, PA, ca. 1920
Academic Parade at the Inauguration of the President,
Lincoln University, June 1936. Photo by S.W. Ochs,
Oxford, PA
Lincoln University, June 1936. Photo by S.W. Ochs,
Oxford, PA
Ann Preston ca. 1867
Bayard Rustin speaks at a Fair Housing Demonstration,
West Chester, PA 1966
West Chester, PA 1966