The boundaries of all these counties may be found in Hening's Laws of Virginia, Vols. I to IX.

In 1789 Virginia passed an act giving her consent that the county of Kentucky, within her jurisdiction, should be formed into a new State. Accordingly, June 1, 1792, Kentucky was admitted into the Union, with substantially her present boundaries.

By the cession of 1784, by Virginia to the United States, of the territory northwest of the Ohio River, this river became the northwest bound. ary of the State of Kentucky.

The western boundary, the Mississippi, was fixed by the treaty of peace in 1783.

(For a history of the boundary between Kentucky and Virginia and West Virginia, vide Virginia, p. 90, for the boundary between Kentucky and Tennessee, vide Tennessee, p. 109-)

OHIO.

Ohio was the first State formed from the original territory northwest of the river Ohio. It was admitted as a State on November 29, 1802, with limits given in the enabling act as follows:

Bounded on the east by the Pennsylvania line, on the south by the Ohio River, to the mouth of the Great Miami River, on the west by the line drawn due north from the mouth of the Great Miami aforesaid, and on the north by an east and west line drawn through the southerly extreme of Lake Michigan, running east after intersecting the due-north line aforesaid, from the mouth of the Great Miami until it shall intersect Lake Erie or the territorial line; and thence with the same through Lake Erie to the Pennsylvania line aforesaid: Provided, That Congress shall be at liberty at any time hereafter either to attach all the territory lying east of the line to be drawn due north from the mouth of the Miami aforesaid to the territorial line, and north of an east and west line drawn through the southerly extreme of Lake Michigan, running east as aforesaid to Lake Erie, to the aforesaid State, or dispose of it otherwise, in conformity to the fifth article of compact between the original States and the people and States to be formed in the territory northwest of the river Ohio. (Seventh Congress, first session.)

In the constitution of Ohio of 1802, Article VII, the boundaries are defined as follows:

Bounded on the east by the Pennsylvania line; on the south by the Ohio River, to the mouth of the Great Miami River; on the west by the line drawn due north from the mouth of the great Miami aforesaid; and on the north by an east and west line drawn through the southerly extreme of Lake Michigan, running east after intersecting the due north line aforesaid from the mouth of the Great Miami, until it shall intersect Lake Erie or the territorial line; and thence with the same through Lake Erie to the Pennsylvania line aforesaid; provided always, and it is hereby fully understood and declared by this convention, that if the southerly bend or extreme of Lake Michigan should extend so far south that a line drawn due east from it should

not intersect Lake Erie, or if it should intersect the said Lake Erie east of the mouth of the Miami River of the Lake, then, and in that case, with the assent of the Congress of the United States, the northern boundary of this State shall be established by, and extending to, a direct line running from the southern extremity of Lake Michigan to the most northerly cape of the Miami Bay, after intersecting the duenorth line from the mouth of the Great Miami River as aforesaid; thence northeast to the territorial line, and by the said territorial line to the Pennsylvania line.

In accordance with the provisions in the enabling act, and in the first constitution of the State, the northern boundary of the State was changed so that, instead of running on a parallel drawn from the southern extremity of Lake Michigan, it followed the arc of a great circle drawn from the southern extremity of Lake Michigan to the most northern cape of Maumee ("Miami") Bay.

Following are the text of the act providing for the examination of the northern boundary and that of the act making the change in the bounddary.

AN ACT to provide for the taking of certain observations preparatory to the adjustment of the north ern boundary line of the State of Ohio.

That the President of the United States cause to be ascertained, by accurate observation, the latitude and longitude of the southerly extreme of Lake Michigan; and that he cause to be ascertained, by like observation, the point on the Miami of the Lake which is due east therefrom, and also the latitude and longitude of the most northerly cape of the Miami Bay; also, that he cause to be ascertained, with all practicable accuracy, the latitude and longitude of the most southerly point in the northern boundary line of the United States in Lake Erie, and also the points at which a direct line drawn from the southerly extreme of Lake Michigan to the most southerly point in said northern boundary line of the United States will intersect the Miami River and Bay; and also that he cause to be ascertained, by like observation, the point in the Mississippi which is due west from the southerly extreme of Lake Michigan; and that the said observations be made and the result thereof returned to the proper Department within the current year. (Twenty-second Congress, first session, 1832.) AN ACT to establish the northern boundary line of the State of Ohio, and to provide for the admis sion of the State of Michigan into the Union.

The northern boundary line of the State of Ohio shall be established at and shall be a direct line drawn from the southern extremity of Lake Michigan to the most northerly cape of the Maumee (Miami) Bay after that line, so drawn, shall intersect the eastern boundary line of the State of Indiana; and from the said north cape of the said bay northeast to the boundary line between the United States and the province of Upper Canada, in Lake Erie, and thence, with the said last-mentioned line, to its intersection with the western line of the State of Pennsylvania. (Twenty-fourth Congress, first session, 1836.)

INDIANA.

By the act passed in the year 1800, to take effect on and after the 4th day of July of that year, the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio was divided into two parts, the eastern part to retain the old name, the western part to become the Territory of Indiana.

Under this act the Territory of Indiana was organized. The description of the boundary line between these two Territories is given in the following act establishing them:

That from and after the fourth day of July next all that part of the territory of the United States northwest of the Ohio River, which lies to the westward of a line beginning at the Ohio, opposite to the mouth of Kentucky River, and running thence to Fort Recovery, and thence north until it shall intersect the territorial line between the United States and Canada, shall, for the purpose of temporary government, constitute a separate Territory, and be called Indiana Territory.

SEC. 5. That whenever that part of the territory of the United States which lies to the eastward of a line beginning at the mouth of the Great Miami River, and running thence due north to the territorial line between the United States and Canada, shall be erected into an independent State, and admitted into the Union on an equal footing with the original States, thenceforth said line shall become and remain permanently the boundary line between such State and the Indiana Territory, anything in this act contained to the contrary notwithstanding. (Sixth Congress, first session.) Ohio was admitted in 1802. Its western boundary, a meridian through the mouth of the Miami River, left a narrow strip of country between Ohio and the Territory of Indiana, which was by a clause in the enabling act of Ohio added to Indiana Territory. The following is the clause in question:

SEC. 3. All that part of the territory of the United States northwest of the river Ohio heretofore included in the eastern division of said Territory, and not included within the boundary herein prescribed for the said State, is hereby attached to and made a part of the Indiana Territory.

On the 30th of June, 1805, the northern portion of Indiana Territory was cut off and organized as Michigan Territory. (For the divisional line between these, see Michigan, p. 113.)

On March 1, 1809, Indiana Territory was divided, and the western portion of it organized as Illinois Territory. (For a description of the divisional line between these two Territories, see Illinois, p. 113.) On December 11, 1816, Indiana was admitted as a State with the limits as given in the following extract from the enabling act, which have not since been changed:

AN ACT to enable the people of the Indiana Territory to form a constitution and State government, and for the admission of such State into the Uuion on an equal footing with the original States.

The said State shall consist of all the territory included within the following boundaries, to wit: Bounded on the east by the meridian line which forms the western boundary of the State of Ohio; on the south by the river Ohio from the mouth of the Great Miami River to the mouth of the river Wabash; on the west by a line drawn along the middle of the Wabash from its mouth to a point where a due north line drawn from the town of Vincennes would last touch the northwestern shore of the said river; and from thence by a due north line, until the same shall intersect an east and west line drawn through a point 10 miles north of the southern extreme of Lake Michigan; on the north by the said east and west line until the same shall intersect the first-mentioned meridian line which forms the western boundary of the State of Ohio. (Fourteenth Congress, first session.)

ILLINOIS.

Illinois Territory, originally part of the Northwest Territory, and subsequently a part of Indiana Territory, was organized on March 1, 1809. The following clause from the act separating it from Indiana Territory; defines its boundary:

AN ACT for dividing the Indiana Territory into two separate governments.

From and after the first day of March next, all that part of the Indiana Territory which lies west of the Wabash River and a direct line drawn from the said Wabash River and Post Vincennes due north to the territory line between the United States and Canada shall, for the purpose of temporary government, constitute a separate Territory and be called Illinois. (Tenth Congress, second session.)

On December 3, 1818, it was admitted as a State, with its present boundaries. The enabling act defines these boundaries as follows:

AN ACT to enable the people of the Illinois Territory to form a constitution and State government, and for the admission of such State into the Union on an equal footing with the original States. The said State shall consist of all the territory included within the following boundaries, to wit: Beginning at the mouth of the Wabash River; thence up the same and with the line of Indiana to the northwest corner of said State; thence east with the line of the same State to the middle of Lake Michigan; thence north along the middle of said lake to north latitude forty-two degrees thirty minutes; thence west to the middle of the Mississippi River; and thence down along the middle of that river to its confluence with the Ohio River; and thence up the latter river along its northwestern shore to the beginning. (Fifteenth Congress, second session.)

MICHIGAN.

Michigan was organized as a Territory June 30, 1805, from the northern part of Indiana Territory.

The following clause from the act dividing Indiana Territory defines its limits:

From and after the thirtieth day of June next all that part of the Indiana Territory which lies north of a line drawn east from the southerly bend or extreme of Lake Michigan, until it shall intersect Lake Erie, and east of a line drawn from the said southerly bend through the middle of said lake to its northern extremity, and thence due north to the northern boundary of the United States, shall, for the purpose of temporary government, constitute a separate Territory, and be called Michigan. (Eighth Congress, second session.)

The enabling act for Illinois, passed in 1818, contained a provision transferring to the Territory of Michigan the portion of the Territory of Illinois not included in the State of that name. The following is the text of the clause referred to:

All that part of the territory of the United States lying north of the State of Indiana, and which was included in the former Indiana Territory, together with that part of the Illinois Territory which is situated north of and not included within the bound

4596-Bull. 13——8

aries prescribed by this act, to the State thereby authorized to be formed, shall be, and hereby is, attached to and made a part of the Michigan Territory, from and after the formation of the said State.

In 1834 an act was passed extending the limits of the Territory of Michigan to the Missouri River.

The clause of this act relating to area is as follows:

AN ACT to attach the territory of the United States west of the Mississippi River and north of the State of Missouri to the Territory of Michigan.

All that part of the territory of the United States bounded on the east by the Mississippi River, on the south by the State of Missouri and a line drawn due west from the northwest corner of said State to the Missouri River; on the southwest and west by the Missouri River and the White Earth River, falling into the same; and on the north by the northern boundary of the United States, shall be, and hereby is, for the purpose of temporary government, attached to and made a part of the Territory of Michigan.

In 1836 Wisconsin Territory was formed from that part of Michigan Territory lying west of the present limits of the State of that name. (Vide Wisconsin, p. 115.)

Reduced to its present limits, as described in the following clause from its enabling act, Michigan was admitted to the Union January 26, 1837:

AN ACT to provide for the admission of the State of Michigan into the Union. Beginning at the point where the above-described northern boundary of the State of Ohio intersects the eastern boundary of the State of Indiana, and running thence with the said boundary line of Ohio, as described in the first section of this act, until it intersects the boundary line between the United States and Canada in Lake Erie; thence with the said boundary line between the United States and Canada through the Detroit River, Lake Huron, and Lake Superior, to a point where the said line last touches Lake Superior; thence in a direct line through Lake Superior to the mouth of the Montreal River; thence through the middle of the main channel of the said river Montreal to the middle of the Lake of the Desert; thence in a direct line to the nearest headwater of the Menomonee River; thence through the middle of that fork of the said river first touched by the said line to the main channel of the said Menomonee River; thence down the center of the main channel of the same to the center of the most usual ship channel of the Green Bay of Lake Michigan; thence through the center of the most usual ship channel of the said bay to the middle of Lake Michigan; thence through the middle of Lake Michigan to the northern boundary of the State of Indiana, as that line was established by the act of Congress of the nineteenth of April, eighteen hundred and sixteen; thence due east with the north boundary line of the said State of Indiana to the northeast corner thereof; and thence south, with the east boundary line of Indiana, to the place of beginning. (Twenty-fourth Congress, first session.)

The above boundaries remain unchanged.

WISCONSIN.

Wisconsin was organized as a Territory July 3, 1836. As originally constituted its area comprised all that part of the former Territory of