| General Information |
| The OES visited the Franklinton Cemetery on August 25, 2002. Being established in 1799, this cemetery is believed to be the oldest burying ground in Central Ohio. Franklinton Cemetery was known as being a beautiful graveyard nestled in a locust grove with a board fence throughout the early to mid-1800s. By the 1870s, however, the cemetery was abandoned. Most of the bodies were dug up and moved to Green Lawn Cemetery, including Lucas Sullivant (Founder of Franklinton and Columbus). Today the Franklinton Cemetery is all but forgotten. Only a few stones remain and those that do are in pretty bad shape. The entire cemetery is surrounded by a stone wall and a large monument in the middle of the cemetery tells of the cemetery's past. Franklinton Cemetery also marks the location of the first church in Central Ohio, built in 1811, but it is long-gone and no signs of it remain today. There are a few Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War soldiers buried here, along with the first minister of the town, Seth Noble. Records indicate that there are still at least 114 burials at the cemetery, many unmarked. Of those 114 burials, the first burial was that of Elizabeth Goodale who died January 24, 1809 and the last was that of Samuel Scott Sr. who died October 16, 1871. The Franklin County Historical Society inducted the cemetery as a Historical Site in May of 1962. The historical plaque that marked the cemetery has been taken down (stolen?) since our visit. | |
| Location Information: Inactive Cemetery [Safe] | |
| Franklinton Cemetery is on River Street off Souder Avenue in Columbus, Franklin County. | |
| Photographs | |
Franklinton Cemetery when the Historical Plaque was still there. |
