The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-03-22
THE BOUNDARY.
History of the Formation of Various
West Virginia Counties.
GARLAND, MD, Mar. s, /

OAN LAND, hD.s MAJ. o, 1CJf.
T. Jay in Cumberland News.
Boundary Dispute Continued
This act recitcs that whereas,
part of the county and parish of
Augusta lies within the bounds of
the territory or tract of lard called
the North Neck belonging to the
right honorable Thomas Fairfax
Baran, Of Cameron, and it will be
more convenient if the dividing line
between the said territory and the
other part of this colony be estab-
lished as the line of the said county
and that part Of the said county be
added to the county Of Frederick ;
and whereas the county of Frederick
is of Il very long and large extent
and inconvenicnt to the inhabitants
thereof, then enacts that on the
first day of MaY next ensuing all
that part of the county of Augusta
which lies within the bound Of the
Northern Neck be added to and
made part of the county of Freder-
lex, and that from and Immediately
after the said first day of May the
said county of Frederick, and said
part of the county Of Augusta so to
be added to and made part Of the
county of Frederick aforesaid, be
divided INTO two counties, and that
all that part thereof living to the
westward Of the ridge of mountains
called and known by the name of
Great North or Cape Capon Noun
tains and Warm Spring Mountains
extending to the Potomac river be
called and known by the name Of
Hampshire; and all chat part there
of lying to the eastward of SAID
ridge or mountains be another dis
tinct county and retain the name of
Frederick.
Thus the county of Hampshire
was made to embrace all the terri
tory within the Northern Neck
lying west of the Great North or
Capon mountains and Warm Spring
mountains and extending from the
Great North or Capon mountains
with the Potomack river to the
Fairfax Stone, and thence by the
line run by the commissioners fro m
the said stone to the head Of the
Rappahannock, and embraced ali
the territory now included in the
counties Of Hampshire, Hardy,
Grant and Mineral.
Hampshire is the oldest county
now within the limits Of West Vir-
gluia by rs years. 1t WAS created
70 wears before the revolution
The county seat was esta oished at
Romney, on the South Branch of
the Potomac about 20 miles above
its mouth, aud the county autholi-
ties exercised exclusive jurisdiction
over all the territory south of what
Maryland calls the North Branch
of the Potomac to the line of the
Northern Neck, which had been
established by the King between
the Fairfax Stone and the head OF
the Rappahannock.
HARDY COUNTY CREATED.
Hardy county was formed in
1875, the act creating it providing
that "the county Of Hampshire
shall be divided into two distinct
counties by line beginning at the
north branch of the Potomac oppo-
site to the mouth Of Savage river,
and running thence in a direct
course SO as to strike the upper end
of the plantation known by the
name of Myers Mil, on New creek
thence by IA direct course to John
. Lewis mill on Patterson creek
thence in a direct course to the
highest part of the mountain known
by the name of Higl. Knob, thence
etc etc, and all that part of the
sad county lying south of said line
shall be called and known by The
name of Hardy.
I he mouth of the Savage river Is
JUST above the town of Piedmont il
what is now Mineral county, West
Virginia. New creek rises in what
is known as Grant county, West
Virginia. and runs northwarC
through Mineral county and emp
ties into the Potomac, or north
branch of the Potomac at Kevser
the county seat of Mineral county
q miles above Cumberland, Mary
land. Patterson's creek rises fal
south in Grant county and runs
northward through the eastern part
of Mineral and empties into the
north branch of the Potomac about
eight miles below Cum berland
MARYLAND, and about ten miles
above the mouth of the south
branch.
Hampshire county was enlarged
bv an act passed III l78-, providing
that all that part of Hardy county
lying north of line to be run from
the mouth of Stony river to TIL,
High Knob shall be, and the sam,