The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1860-04-19
Cambria County.
CHAPTER VIII.
III tor y.

counties, Philadelphia, Bucks and Ches-
ter-the two former being located on the
eastern boundary, aud the latter embra-
cling all The prOUiRce from dence Hest~ord
In 1929, AN Act for erecting the upper
parts OF the province of Pennsylvania, ly-
ing towards Susquehanna," &c, into
county, was passed, the preamble of which
recites as follows :-"Whereas, great
number of the inhabitants of the upper
parts of Chester county have, by their Pc
tition, humbly represented to the Cover
nor and Assembly of this Province, the
great hardships they lie under, by being
at so great a distance from the town Of
| Chester, where the Courts of Justice are
held, and the public offices are kept: and
how hard 1t is for the sober and quiet in
habitants of that part of the county to Sc
cure themselves against the thefts and
abuses almost daily committed upon them
by idle and dissolute persons, who resort
to the remote parts Of the p''ociince, and, by
reason Of the great distance from a court
or prison, do frequently find means Of ma
king their escape: : For the removing
which ineonveniency, and relief OF the
said inhabitants: Be it enacted, &C."
The first section of this Act provides:
THAT all and singular the lands within
the province Of PenBsy lvania, lying to the
northward of Octoraro creek, and to the
! &
ming from the North branch Of the said
Octoraro creek, northeasterly, to the river
| Schuylkill, be erected into county, and
the same is hereby erected into a county,
named, and from henceforth to be called
LANCASTER COUNTY and the said Ccto-
rora creek, the line of marked trees, and
the river Schuy!kill aforesaid, shall he the
boundary line or division between the said
counties OF Chester and IhllaGel ia
Hence, it viii be seen that 4 century
and quarter OF years ago, the territory ot
Cambria county was embraced IL the lines
Of Lancaster county, BOW more than -vV
miles distant.
Twenty years afterwards, YORK, the
fifth county IN the State, was eYGC.cG,
from the Western and Southern portions
Of Lancaster, but without including our
territory; bat the year following, an Act
OF Assembly was passed, providing, That
all and singular the lands lying within the
province OF Pennsylvania, to the westward
OF Susquehanna, and northward and west
ward OF the county Of York, be and are
hereby erected into a county, named and
hereafter to be called CUMBERLAND"
BEDFORD COUNTY was erected by the
Act OF 9th March, III, with he follow
ing boundary, which, 81 course, included
Cambria "BegiEning where the province
| line crosses the Iuscarora Mountain, and
running along the summit of that noun
tain TO the Gap near the head OF the Path
Valley; thence, with the Juniata, to the
mouth of Shaver's creek thence, North
east to the line Of Bucks county; thence,
along the Bucks county line Northwest
ward 10 the western bounds of the pro-
vince; thence, Southwark, according to
the several courses of the Western boun-
dairy of the province, to the Southwest
corner of the province; and from thence,
Eastward with the Southern line of the
province, to the place of beginning"
One year afterwards, NoRTHUMBER-
LAND COUNTY was erected, embracing all
the Northeastern portion of Pennsylvania,
and its western line running from the ton
of Tussey's Mountain, 'to Little Juniata
thence up the Northeasterly side of the
main branch Of Little Juniata, to the head
thereof, thence North to the line of Berks
county" This line would, perhaps, have
taken part of Cambria county; but an
''Act for the better ascertaining the bonn
dairy line between Cumberland, Bedford
and Northumberland" passed in 1879,
restored TO Bedford all the territory with
in our limits.
! ESTMoRELAND was erected in l773.
with boundaries beginning in the pro-
vince line, where the most westerly branch
commonly called the Great Branch of
1ouShiogheny river, crosses the same
thence down the easterly side of said
branch and river to Laurel Hill: thence
along the ridge of the said hill, Northeast
ward, SO far as it can be traced, or till it