DE: Individual County Chronologies

CHESTER (Pa.) exchanged narrow strips of territory with NEW CASTLE when the U.S. Congress ratified the agreement between Delaware and Pennsylvania on the demarcation of their common boundary. Net result was that CHESTER (Pa.) gained a small sliver of territory along the circular line (known as the Horn) and NEW CASTLE gained a small triangular area by the northeast corner of Maryland (known as the Wedge) [not mapped]. (Lunt, 59, 61; Van Zandt, 83)

Maryland implicitly asserted its claim to the area of present Delaware by creating two counties along the Atlantic coast: DURHAM (Md., extinct) was created north of "Hoar Kill" (now Lewes) from SOMERSET (Md.) and non-county area along the Atlantic coast; and an unnamed county was created in present southern Delaware and Maryland [unnamed county not mapped]. These counties were never operational. DURHAM included territory in present Delaware and Pennsylvania. (Archives of Md., 5:56-57)

DURHAM (Md., extinct) lost all territory to creation of WORCESTER (Md., original, extinct); DURHAM eliminated. (Archives of Md., 5:107-110)

ST. JONES (now KENT) created under the authority of the Duke of York from NEW CASTLE and HOARKILL (later DEALE, now SUSSEX); no inland limits specified. (Docs. of N.Y., 12:654, 664, 666-667; Reed, 12)

ST. JONES (now KENT) was transferred with the rest of the western Delaware Bay region from the Duke of York to William Penn. (Pa. Archives, 2d ser., 5:739-744)

William Penn annexed the Delaware River region to Pennsylvania. ST. JONES (now KENT) became part of the area known as the Territories or Lower Counties of Pennsylvania. Maryland did not abandon its claim to the Delaware region but had no control there. (Swindler, 2:191-192)

ST. JONES renamed KENT. (Penn, 2:324)

KENT lost to SUSSEX. (Turner, 82)

KENT gained from SUSSEX; lost to NEW CASTLE. (Scharf, 2:1030)

KENT was separated from Pennsylvania when Delaware became a distinct colony. (Penn, 4:309; Rodney, 239)

KENT lost to SUSSEX; boundary was completed westward to the Maryland line. (Del., Laws of the State, vol. 1, ch. 229, sec. 4/pp. 569-570)

The three Lower Counties, including KENT, became an independent state. The name Delaware was formally adopted on 20 September 1776. (Declaration of Independence; Swindler, 2:197)

KENT gained from NEW CASTLE. (Del. Laws 1841, ch. 347/pp. 401-402; Scharf, 2:1030)

After completing their re-conquest of New York in August 1673, the Dutch created NEW AMSTEL (now NEW CASTLE) as one of three countylike courts that became original counties in Delaware; no inland limits specified. (Docs. of N.Y., 12:507-508; George, Nead, and McCamant, 453-454; Reed, 22)

In the Autumn of 1674, the Dutch returned New York and the Delaware River settlements, including NEW AMSTEL (now NEW CASTLE) to the Duke of York in accordance with the Treaty of Westminster (9 February 1673/1674). By 6 November 1674 NEW AMSTEL was made dependent on New York, although Maryland also claimed the area. (Docs. of N.Y., 12:515; George, Nead, and McCamant, 454; Parry, 13:136)

NEW AMSTEL was renamed NEW CASTLE. (Docs. of N.Y., 12:515)

The Duke of York's laws were extended from New York to the Delaware region; NEW CASTLE was formally placed under the Duke of York's laws. (Docs. of N.Y., 12:561-563, Reed, 13)

NEW CASTLE gained from UPLAND (extinct). (Armstrong, 119, 198)

NEW CASTLE lost to creation of ST. JONES (now KENT). (Docs. of N.Y., 12:654, 664, 666-667; Reed, 12)

NEW CASTLE was transferred with the rest of the western Delaware Bay region from the Duke of York to William Penn. NEW CASTLE Implicitly gained the southern remnant of UPLAND (extinct) south of the 12-mile circular boundary around New Castle established 4 March 1680/1681 as the northern limit of the Delaware region. (Pa. Archives, 2d ser., 5:739-744)

William Penn annexed the Delaware River region to Pennsylvania. NEW CASTLE became part of the area known as the Territories or Lower Counties of Pennsylvania. Maryland did not abandon its claim to the Delaware region but had no control there. (Swindler, 2:191-192)

NEW CASTLE gained from KENT. (Scharf, 2:1030)

NEW CASTLE was separated from Pennsylvania when Delaware became a distinct colony. (Penn, 4:309; Rodney, 239)

NEW CASTLE boundary was completed westward to the Maryland line. (Del., Laws of the State, vol. 1, ch. 229, sec. 4/pp. 569-570)

The three Lower Counties, including NEW CASTLE, became an independent state. The name Delaware was formally adopted on 20 September 1776. (Declaration of Independence; Swindler, 2:197)

NEW CASTLE lost to KENT. (Del. Laws 1841, ch. 347/pp. 401-402; Scharf, 2:1030)

NEW CASTLE exchanged narrow strips of territory with CHESTER (Pa.) when the U.S. Congress ratified the agreement between Delaware and Pennsylvania on the demarcation of their common boundary. NEW CASTLE lost a small sliver of territory along the circular line (known as the Horn) and gained a small triangular area by the northeast corner of Maryland (known as the Wedge) [not mapped]. (Lunt, 59, 61; Van Zandt, 83)

Non-County Area 1 created in Delaware when representatives of Maryland and Pennsylvania agreed on the boundary between their two colonies, including the line between Maryland and Delaware. The two sides could not agree on how to implement the agreement, and the line was not settled until 4 July 1760 when the Penns and Lord Baltimore confirmed the first agreement. King George III did not approve the survey until 1769. (Paullin, 84-85, pl. 100; Pa. Archives, ser. 2, 16:449-460)

Non-County Area 1 lost all territory to KENT, NEW CASTLE, and SUSSEX when the county boundaries were extended westward to the Maryland line; Non-County Area 1 eliminated. (Del., Laws of the State, vol. 1, ch. 229, sec. 4/pp. 569-570)

SOMERSET (Md.) created by Maryland from non-county area south of TALBOT (Md.). Area included all land between the Nanticoke River and the Atlantic Ocean (including part of southern Delaware), but Maryland did not try to exercise jurisdiction in the eastern part that is present Delaware. (Archives of Md., 3:553-555)

Maryland implicitly asserted its claim to the area of present Delaware by creating two counties along the Atlantic Coast: SOMERSET (Md.) lost to creation of DURHAM (Md., extinct), and an unnamed county [unnamed county not mapped]; neither county became operational. (Archives of Md., 5:56-57)

King James II approved the decision of the Committee for Trade and Plantations, which concluded the area of present Delaware belonged to Pennsylvania, not Maryland; SOMERSET (Md.) lost to SUSSEX and Pennsylvania, and was eliminated from present Delaware. (Lunt, 47; Report on the Resurvey, 145; Van Zandt, 81)

After completing their re-conquest of New York in August 1673, the Dutch created HOARKILL (later DEALE, now SUSSEX) as one of three countylike courts that became original counties in Delaware; no inland limits were specified. (Docs. of N.Y., 12:507-508; George, Nead, and McCamant, 453-454; Reed, 22)

In the Autumn of 1674, the Dutch returned New York and the Delaware River settlements, including HOARKILL (later DEALE, now SUSSEX) to the Duke of York in accordance with the Treaty of Westminster (9 February 1673/1674). By 6 November 1674 HOARKILL was made dependent on New York, although Maryland also claimed the area. (Docs. of N.Y., 12:515; George, Nead, and McCamant, 454; Parry, 13:136)

The Duke of York's laws were extended from New York to the Delaware region; HOARKILL (later DEALE, now SUSSEX) was formally placed under the Duke of York's laws. (Docs. of N.Y., 12:561-563; Reed, 13)

HOARKILL (later DEALE, now SUSSEX) lost to creation of ST. JONES (now KENT); no inland limits specified. (Docs. of N.Y., 12:654, 664, 666-667; Reed, 12)

HOARKILL renamed DEALE (now SUSSEX). (Turner, 54; Reed, 13)

DEALE (now SUSSEX) was transferred with the rest of the western Delaware Bay region from the Duke of York to William Penn. (Pa. Archives, 2d ser., 5:739-744)

William Penn annexed the Delaware River region to Pennsylvania. DEALE (now SUSSEX) became part of the area known as the Territories or Lower Counties of Pennsylvania. Maryland did not abandon its claim to the Delaware region but had no control there. (Swindler, 2:191-192)

DEALE renamed SUSSEX; SUSSEX gained from KENT. (Turner, 82)

SUSSEX implicitly gained territory immediately north of Maryland, including part of SOMERSET (Md.) when King James II approved the decision of the Committee for Trade and Plantations, which concluded the area of present Delaware belonged to Pennsylvania, not Maryland. The exact boundary line was not settled until 1760. (Lunt, 47; Report on the Resurvey, 145; Van Zandt, 81)

SUSSEX lost to KENT. (Scharf, 2:1030)

SUSSEX was separated from Pennsylvania when Delaware became a distinct colony. (Penn, 4:309; Rodney, 239)

The proprietors of Maryland and Pennsylvania and the Lower Counties (now Delaware) agreed on the course of their common boundary. This settled the southern boundary of SUSSEX, although surveying problems prevented final implementation until 1769. (Lunt, 56; Report on the Resurvey, 179; Van Zandt, 81-82)

SUSSEX gained from KENT; boundary was completed westward to the Maryland line. (Del., Laws of the State, vol. 1, ch. 229, sec. 4/pp. 569-570)

The three Lower Counties, including SUSSEX, became an independent state. The name Delaware was formally adopted on 20 September 1776. (Declaration of Independence; Swindler, 2:197)

After completing their re-conquest of New York in August 1673, the Dutch created UPLAND (extinct) as one of three countylike courts that became original counties in Delaware; no inland limits specified. UPLAND included territory in present Delaware and Pennsylvania, and overlapped part of WORCESTER (Md., original, extinct). (Docs. of N.Y., 12:507-508; George, Nead, and McCamant, 453-454; Reed, 22)

In the Autumn of 1674, the Dutch returned New York and the Delaware River settlements, including UPLAND (extinct) to the Duke of York in accordance with the Treaty of Westminster (9 February 1673/1674). By 6 November 1674 UPLAND was made dependent on New York although Maryland also claimed the area. (Docs. of N.Y., 12:515; George, Nead, and McCamant, 454; Parry, 13:136)

The Duke of York's laws were extended from New York to the Delaware region; UPLAND (extinct) was formally placed under the Duke of York's laws. (Docs. of N.Y., 12:561-563; Reed, 13)

UPLAND (extinct) lost to NEW CASTLE. (Armstrong, 119, 198)

[4 March 1680/1681] King Charles II created Pennsylvania from parts of earlier grants to Connecticut and Virginia, granting it as a proprietary colony to William Penn. Territory to be bounded on the southeast by the arc of a circle, 12 miles in radius and centered in New Castle, Del. This grant implicitly set the 12-mile circle as the northern limit of the Delaware region, covering most of UPLAND (extinct). (Swindler, 8:243)

UPLAND was eliminated when the newly chartered proprietary colony of Pennsylvania instituted government for all territory on the west side of the Delaware River from 12 miles north of New Castle to the parallel of 42 degrees north latitude, including area also claimed by Maryland. A southern remant of UPLAND (extinct) that had extended south of the circular boundary around New Castle was added to NEW CASTLE in 1682. (Armstrong, 196; Swindler, 8:243)

WORCESTER (Md., original, extinct) created by Maryland from DURHAM (Md., extinct) and the unnamed coastal county in present Delaware. DURHAM (Md.) and the unnamed county were eliminated. WORCESTER (Md., original), located in present Delaware and Pennsylvania, never became operational. (Archives of Md., 5:107-110)

After completing their re-conquest of New York in August 1673, the Dutch created UPLAND (extinct) as one of three countylike courts that became original counties in Delaware; no inland limits specified. UPLAND included territory in present Delaware and Pennsylvania, and overlapped part of WORCESTER (Md., original, extinct). (Docs. of N.Y., 12:507-508; George, Nead, and McCamant, 453-454; Reed, 22)

King James II approved the decision of the Committee for Trade and Plantations, which concluded the area of present Delaware belonged to Pennsylvania, not Maryland; WORCESTER (Md., original) eliminated. (Lunt, 47; Report on the Resurvey, 145; Van Zandt, 81)

Delaware: Individual County Chronologies