Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826 . Notes on the State of Virginia / From The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Volume 2
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QUERY 1.

An exact description of the limits and boundaries of the State of Virginia?

   Virginia is bounded on the east by the Atlantic; on the north by a line of
latitude crossing the eastern shore through Watkin's Point, being about
37degrees 57' north latitude; from thence by a straight line to Cinquac, near
the mouth of Potomac; thence by the Potomac, which is common to Virginia and
Maryland, to the first fountain of its northern branch; thence by a meridian
line, passing through that fountain till it intersects a line running east and
west, in latitude 39degrees 43' 42.4" which divides Maryland from Pennsylvania,
and which was marked by Messrs. Mason and Dixon; thence by that line, and a
continuation of it westwardly to the completion of five degrees of longitude
from the eastern boundary of Pennsylvania, in the same latitude, and thence by
a meridian line to the Ohio; on the

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west by the Ohio and Mississippi, to latitude 36 degrees 30' north, and on the
south by the line of latitude last mentioned. By admeasurement through nearly
the whole of this last line, and supplying the unmeasured parts from good data,
the Atlantic and Mississippi are found in this latitude to be seven hundred and
fifty-eight miles distant, equal to 30 degrees 38' of longitude, reckoning
fifty-five miles and three thousand one hundred and forty-four feet to the
degree. This being our comprehension of longitude, that of our latitude, taken
between this and Mason and Dixon's line, is 3 degrees 13' 42.4" equal to two
hundred and twenty-three and one-third miles supposing a degree of a great
circle to be sixty-nine miles, eight hundred and sixty-four feet, as computed
by Cassina. These boundaries include an area somewhat triangular of one hundred
and twenty-one thousand five hundred and twenty-five square miles, whereof
seventy-nine thousand six hundred and fifty lie westward of the Alleghany
mountains, and fifty-seven thousand and thirty-four westward of the meridian of
the mouth of the Great Kanhaway. This State is therefore one-third larger than
the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, which are reckoned at eighty-eight
thousand three hundred and fifty-seven square miles. These limits result from,
1. The ancient charters from the crown of England. 2. The grant of Maryland to
the Lord Baltimore, and the subsequent determinations of the British court as
to the extent




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of that grant. 3. The grant of Pennsylvania to William Penn, and a compact
between the general assemblies of the commonwealths of Virginia and
Pennsylvania as to the extent of that grant. 4. The grant of Carolina, and
actual location of its northern boundary, by consent of both parties. 5. The
treaty of Paris of 1763. 6. The confirmation of the charters of the neighboring
States by the convention of Virginia at the time of constituting their
commonwealth. 7. The cession made by Virginia to Congress of all the lands to
which they had title on the north side of the Ohio.