Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1868-07-02
OUR NORTHERN BOUNDARY LINE.

liccntious nav of this metropolis Of the |
Western world
OUR NORTHERN BOUNDARY LINE.
Tho following account Of the circular
boundary line between this State and Penn
sylvania, a part of what is known as Mason
& Dixon's line, gives pretty fair idea of
the nature of this part of this celebrated
line and of the dispute which gave rise to
the employment of Mason s. Dixon.
1t is one of series of historical articles
concerning Chester County now being con-
tributed to the american Republican of
West Chester, by ]. Smith Futhey, and Of
course speaks of the subject from Pennsyl-
vania stand point, that is, 1t speaks of that
as the southern boundary line which we
with equal propriety call the northern boun-
Diary line:-
The southern boundary of Chester county
exhibits some striking pecuiarities. Its
eastern end consists of an arc of circle,
commencing at the Delaware, and ending at
q point where it strikes the north and south
line, separating the States of Delaware and
MARYLAND from this point it runs north to
the northeast corner Of Maryland, in Lati-
tude 80 deg, 43 min., 26.3 Sec, and thence
westward on that parallel. This peculiar
line is one of our geographical celebrities"
the exact history of which is known 10 but
few, even of our citizens. Why the line be-
tween Pennsylvania and Delaware lisa curved
line; how happens that curious little peak
running down to point between the circu-
lar boundary of Delaware on the one side,
and the eastern boundary of Maryland on
the other; and why the line from that west
ward is on that odd parallel of latitude, are
questions which have been frequently pro-
pounded to the writer. A full answer to
them would fill volume, and embrace much
of the early history of Pennsylvania, Della
ware and Maryland. The subject is SO ex-
tcnsive that it will be somewhat difficult to
give condensed account which Shall be
| readily comprchended. A few OF the lead
| ing facts however, will be given:
| In June, 1862, Charles the First granted
| to Cecelius Calvert, Lord Baltimore, "all
that part Of the peninsula or eastern shore
of the Chesapeake, north of line drawn
eastward from the mouth of the Potomac
through Watkins point, and the mouth OF
the river Wighco or Pocomokc, to the ocean;
which line is nearly in north latitude, 3S
degrees; and between that bound on the
sound unto that part of the Delaware Bay
ON the north, which leth under the forticth
degree of north latitude, where New Eng
land terminates and all that tract of land
from the aforesaid Bay of Delaware, in a
right line by the degree aforesaid, to the true
meridian of the first fountain of the river
Potomac, and from thence tending towards
the south to the further bank of said river,
and following the west and south side of it,
to certain place, &C., to the beginning
This grant US claimed by Lord Baltimore,
and as expressed in the charter, included oil
the peninsula, from the above mentioned
; right line on the South, to the fortieth de-
gree of latitude on the North, and from the
; Delaware river and bay, westward to tho
source of the Potomac; but agrccably to the
preamble to the charter, it did not include
those portions OF it heretofore settled or cut
tiuated. Some settlements had been mad'
, on the Delaware by Hollanders, in the year.
1929 and 1851, but these were destroyed by
When Lord Baltimore, in 1854, took pos
session of his territory, it was entirely il
i the possession of the natives, and uninhabit
ed by a civilized man, and by the terms o
his charter, he was entitled to all the territor,
, included within its limits, with the Delawar
0 river and bay as the eastern boundary, AM
f the parallel of forty degrees of latitude a
1 the Northern boundary, and there was NJ
/ grant or settlement which interferred wit
< his claim Had he then made settlemen
0 ON the Delaware river or bay, the State
, Delaware would probably never have exist
!. ed, and its territory would now constitut
part of the State of Maryland.
g He did not do so, and in 1899, the Swede
g planted colony on the Delaware. The
d erected forts and churches, cultivated til
1t soil, and grew rapidly in numbers and pro-
perity. In 1866, however, an invading fore
!" of the Dutch arrived in the Delaware, n
iuced the Swedish Forts, and rc-establishe
1t the Dutch dominion. They again occupie
,e the country, and dated back their title
Or relation, to their former settlements whie
had been destroyed by the Indians By til
ID fiction they claimed that their title to IL
ie shores of the Delaware was superior to tn
g of Lord Baltimore, and as will be seen her
after, it eventually was made use OF to wre
ne from Baltimore the territory thus settled.
q, In March, 1864, Charles ii, disregardil
Dis the claims of Lord Baltimore under his cha
he ter, granted to his brother, the Duke
n York, afterwards james I'D the terrific
lis thus occupied by the Swedes and Dutc
Is, now comprising the State of Delaware.
Int On the 4th of March, 1851 the King grant
ch to William Penn the Province of Penns.
sylvania, to be bounded on the North by t
ed beginning of the three and fortieth deg
Mt of Northern latitude, and on the South b.
New Castle, northward and westward III
d; the beginning of the forticth degree
Northern latitude, and thence by strais
iff- line Westward five degrees in Longitude.
In the spring of 1852, William Markha
"? whom Penn commissioned as Deputy u
crnor, and sent over to take possession
81 of his provinces, sought an interview W
mt Lord Baltimore, with the view of adjust
ose the boundaries of the two provinces of Pc
sylvania and Maryland. They met at
ay, land (now CHESTER for that purpose, ,
mt made careful astronomical observation "
~ the view of ascertaining the true line of fc
and degrees north latitude The result revea
and the fact that that parallel of latitude, VIII
oor was by the terms of the respective chart
/. the northern line of Maryland and south
Join line of Pennsylvania, was twelve miles NJ
ome of Upland, thus throwing that town and
the jacent country, heretofore believed to
pom Pennsylvania, into Maryland. Upon
the fact being ascertained, Markham decline