sessions, held in Baltimore, in the month of August, 1779.* The agreement arrived at by the commissioners and subsequently confirmed by the legislative authority of the two States, settled the boundary question forever, but the precise point at which the parallel should end and the meridian line begin, was an astronomical problem that enlisted in its settlement the aid of the most eminent mathematicians of the sister Commonwealths. This important work was performed by a joint commission, consisting of Rev. James Madison, Rev. Robert Andrews, John Page, and Andrew Ellicott, on the part of Virginia, and Rev. John Ewing, D. D., David Rittenhouse, John Lukens, Surveyor General, and Thomas Hutchins, on the part of Pennsylvania. The methods adopted are detailed in the report of the Pennsylvania commissioners made to the President on the 23rd day of December, 1784. ‡

During the pendency of the boundary dispute with Virginia, the authorities of that State had made grants of land, that, by the establishment of the lines, were within the boundaries of Pennsylvania. Under the act of the General Assembly of Pennsylvania, passed the 1st day of April, 1784, those titles, since designated "Virginia Entries," were recognized and confirmed.

While this dispute continued, the authorities of that State claimed all the territory west of the Laurel Hill, encouraged settlements in the valley of the Monongahela, and actually organized counties within the charter limits of Pennsylvania. § The revolution of 1776, demanding that the energies of the colonies should be turned against the common enemy, the assertion of the right of domain was in some degree held in abeyance until the question was quieted by the agreement arrived at in 1779. At this date Virginia owned the NorthWestern territory afterward ceded to the United States government, from which Ohio and other States were subsequently formed, and hence was a competent party to the agreement to extend the western line of Pennsylvania to Lake Erie.

Re-Survey of the Boundary Lines between Pennsylvania and West Virginia. The General Assembly of this Commonwealth, by acts approved respectively, on the 18th day of May, 1878, and the 8th and 10th days of June, 1881, authorized the appointment of a commission to act in conjunction with a similar commission appointed by the State of West

*Pages 282, etc.

Pages 291 and 293.

Page 323.

The disputed territory was first treated as a part of Augusta county, Virginia. Courts were held at Pittsburgh in 1776, for West Augusta county, as it was then called, and about the close of that year the territory was divided into three counties called Ohio, Yohogania and Monongalia. Pittsburgh fell into Yohogania, and courts were held regularly until the 28th of August, 1780. The court-house for Monongalia was located near New Geneva, Fayette county.

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B-SURVEYS.

Virginia, to re-survey and mark the boundary lines between said States. The joint commission met and organized on the 10th day of April, 1883. C. H. Sinclair, of the U. S. coast and geodetic survey, was employed as engineer. The field-work on the meridian line, extending from the Ohio river to the south-western corner of Pennsylvania was completed by the end of the month of June. From the south-western corner mentioned the line trends toward the east, and at the Ohio river it is fifty-four feet five and one half inches further east than where a meridian drawn through the corner would strike the river. The territory lying between the two lines has been lost to Pennsylvania by the error in the direction of the line run in 1785. The commission properly adhered to the two termini, and caused a direct line to be permanently marked between them.

Operations on the parallel boundary were commenced in the month of August following, and the survey was continued eastward, from the south-western corner of Pennsylvania for a distance of 38 8-10 miles, when the work was suspended on account of the exhaustion of the appropriation. In the fall of 1885, the survey was completed and the line permanently marked. The reports beginning on page 382 contain the details of the operations of the surveying parties.

Western Boundary.-Ohio.

On the 10th day of May, 1786, Alexander McClean was appointed to assist Andrew Porter in running and marking the western boundary, from the Ohio river to the north-western corner of the State. Their report of the completion of the work will be found on page 431, and one of the maps accompanying this volume shows the western boundary, from the south-west corner to the one hundredth milestone. This is the only map of the western boundary that has been found among the archives of the Commonwealth. An interesting journal of Andrew Porter, one of the commissioners, in which each day's operation in the field during the years 1785-86 will be found, commences on the same page. Action toward the re-survey of this line was taken by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio in the passage of an act, on the 3d day of May, 1878, authorizing the appointment of a commission for the purpose of re-surveying said line and replacing any monuments that had been removed or become obliterated. Similar action was taken by the General Assembly of this Commonwealth on the 18th day of the same month, as will be seen by reference to the law printed on page 379. The final report of the joint commission will be found on page 448, followed by a report of the surveyor, showing the results of numerous observation made for latitude and magnetic declination and much other valuable detail.

Northern Boundary.-New York.

A movement was made by the proprietaries of Pennsylvania, in 1774, toward the establishment of the northern boundary, and, by action of the authorities of the respective provinces, David Rittenhouse was appointed on the part of Pennsylvania, and Samuel Holland on the part of New York, to fix the beginning of the forty-third degree of north latitude at the Delaware river, and to carry the line westward. In November of the same year the two commissioners made the necessary astronomical observations, and fixed the initial point on the Delaware river, but they were unable, on account of the rigor of the season, to extend the line westward. Their report will be found on page 494.

The troubles with the mother country soon breaking out, further effort toward establishing the northern boundary was suspended until the revolutionary war had closed; but sections of the line were, from time to time, run unofficially. The State of New York, by an act passed March 7, 1785, authorized the appointment of commissioners to act in conjunction with similar commissioners to be appointed on the part of this Commonwealth, to run and mark a permanent line between the two States. The Supreme Executive Council, on the 6th day of April, 1785, appointed Andrew Porter to assist David Rittenhouse, but as Porter was engaged on the western boundary, Andrew Ellicott was appointed in his stead, on the 10th day of March, 1786. Mr. Rittenhouse being unable to take part in this work, Ellicott proceeded alone with the New York commissioners, and by the autumn. of 1786 the line had been continued westwardly from the Delaware to the 90th milestone, as appears by the report of the commissioners, printed on page 506. The next year Ellicott and Porter, in conjunction with the New York commissioners, completed the line to Lake Erie. Their report, dated October 29, 1787, will be found on page 510. The General Assembly of Pennsylvania, by act passed the 29th day of September, 1789, declared that the boundary line as run by the above named commissioners, should be deemed and taken as the true and just line of boundary, both of territory and jurisdiction, between the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New York.

Pursuant to legislation passed by the two States, commissioners were appointed by them respectively for the purpose of re-surveying and re-marking the boundary lines between them. The resolutions and acts of Assembly will be found on page 514 and subsequent pages. The final report of the surviving Pennsylvania commissioners is printed on page 526, and is preceded by an important agreement, entered into by the commissioners of the two States on the 26th day of March, 1886, and is followed by such extracts from the report of the surveyors to the joint commission as were approved by the Pennsyl

vania commissioners.

Other extracts, that were not approved, embracing several appendices, were delivered by the commissioners to this department and remain here.

The Erie Triangle.

At the time the northern boundary was completed, in the fall of 1787, the territory lying west of the State of New York, and between the forty-second parallel of latitude and Lake Erie, designated "The Erie Triangle," belonged to the Government of the United States, and was purchased by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the negotiations for which were consummated in 1792. The conveyance therefor, from George Washington, President, will be found on page 594. The meridian line, separating the triangle from the State of New York, was run by Andrew Ellicott and it, as well as the parallel boundary, was re-surveyed and re-marked by the joint commission appointed for that purpose.

Accompanying this report is a case containing twenty maps and sketches, showing surveys of all of the artificial boundaries of the Commonwealth westward of the New Castle circle on the south and the Delaware river on the north, and also exhibiting the results of the original surveys and of the re-surveys.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

I am,

Very respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

J. SIMPSON AFRICA, Secretary of Internal Affairs.

COPIES OF OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS

RELATING TO THE

BOUNDARIES OF THE COMMONWEALTH

OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SOUTHERN BOUNDARY:-MARYLAND AND

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VIRGINIA.

AT A COUNCIL HELD AT PHILADIA., April ye 28th, 1707.

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The Govr. laid before the Board the Copy of an Address from the Govr., Council and Assembly of Maryland to the Queen, requesting her Orders to the Proprietors of these two Provinces, to run the Division Lines and ascertain the Boundaries between them for the Ease of the Inhabitants, who have been much distressed by their uncertainty; Which address the Govr. said he had obtained on Saturday last, and thought fitt to lay it before the Board to be considered.

And the said address being read and Considered accordingly it was the opinion of the Board that it was drawn so evenly and impartially that it might be of equal service to this Province, as to that of Maryland, from whence it is sent; But that it is convenient that an address should be also sent from this place, which is ordered to be prepared, to be signed & sent in the names of such as afterwards shall be thought proper, & that in the meantime Copies of this address be sent to our Proprietr.-[Col. Rec., Vol. II, page 362.]

AT A COUNCIL HELD AT PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 31st, 1732.

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The Governor acquainted the Board that the Differences between our Honorable Proprietary Family and the Lord Baltimore, touching the disputed Boundaries of their respective Governments, being now happily accommodated, an Agreement had been concluded between them, which, by Direction of the Proprietor, he was now to lay before the Board. That it had been as yet only Communicated to the Commissioners, who by a certain Instrument, are appointed on the Part of Pennsylvania to execute that Agreement, by running the Lines, &c., but as these Gentlemen were in a few days to sett out to meet Mr. Ogle, Governor of Maryland, and those named on the part of that