PHILLY-ROOTS-L Archives

From: <>
Subject: Re: [PHILLY-ROOTS-L] Pa/Md Border
Date: Sun, 12 Mar 2000 01:13:43 EST

In a message dated 3/11/00 9:22:02 AM, writes:
<< Could someone tell me if any part of Maryland was at any time (1700's) a
part of Pennsylvania? >>

See an encyclopedia (online or hard copy) under Mason-Dixon Line
(sometimes listed as "Mason and Dixon's Line"). In the 1700s, a boundary
quarrel arose between PA and MD. The two states agreed to settle the dispute
by having the land surveyed. Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon completed
their survey in 1767, and set the southern boundary of PA where it is today,
which is where PA had always said, and acted as if, it was. MD had earlier
claimed that the boundary was at 40 degrees north latitude, giving them a
strip along southern PA, starting at about Center City Phila. and extending
west to about the eastern border of Fayette Co., PA. It's possible that MD
treated that area as its own counties; I know PA did.
CT had also claimed part of PA -- a huge strip all the way across the
northern portion of PA, the southern boundary of which began about where
current Pike and Monroe counties meet at the Delaware River. VA claimed a
big chunk of the southwestern corner of PA.
(sources: World Book Encyclopedia
Genealogical Map of the Counties, printed by PA's Historical & Museum
Commission, 10th edition [1985])
Lani

This thread:

• [PHILLY-ROOTS-L] Pa/Md Border by <>

  • Re: [PHILLY-ROOTS-L] Pa/Md Border by <>

  • Re: [PHILLY-ROOTS-L] Pa/Md Border by "elida" <>
  • Re: [PHILLY-ROOTS-L] Pa/Md Border by "James L. Stokes" <>