| 2 | Author: | Dixon, Jeremiah | Requires cookie* | | Title: | Minutes and papers of the Mason and Dixon survey, 1760-1768
| | | Dates: | 1760-1768 | | | Abstract: | The Mason and Dixon Survey Collection consists of two volumes relating to their work drawing a border between Pennsylvania and Maryland and a box of correspondence. This entry describes the two volumes. One contains the Penn family's costs, which goes into specific details about items purchased and used for the venture. The second volume is a manuscript copy of the commissioners' minutes from 1760-1768. The commissioners were representatives of both Baltimore and Penn, and gave directions to Mason and Dixon. The minutes contain negotiations between the commissioners, which provide insight into surveying methods and the various disagreements between the two sides about boundaries, particularly as they relate to the Delmarva Peninsula. There are a few mentions of Indians and diplomacy, especially around 1767 when Mason and Dixon were extending the line into the Ohio Country.
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| | | Call #: | Mss.974.8.P383 | | | Extent: | 2 volume(s) | | | Topics: | Colonial Politics | Government Affairs | Native America | Pennsylvania History | Surveying and Maps | | | Genre: | Maps and Surveys | Official Government Documents and Records | | | Subjects: | Surveys. | |
6 | Author: | Byrd, William, 1674-1744 | Requires cookie* | | Title: | The secret history of the line between Virginia and North Carolina, [1728]
| | | Dates: | Circa 1728 | | | Abstract: | The collection of William Byrd's writings consists of two leather bound, handwritten copies of Byrd's History of the Dividing Line Run in the Year 1728 (Mss.975.5.B99h) and A Secret History of the Dividing Line (Mss.975.5.B99s). The former was likely written for public audiences and contains the details of drawing the lines, interactions with Indians, observations of the flora and fauna of the area, the health and culture of settlers, and the official actions of the commissioners. Byrd regularly wrote Peter Collinson, an English scientist, about his journal and his hope that it would be of interest and benefit to a wide audience. The Secret History, on the other hand, contains a wealth of the more personal, private, and often humorous anecdotes of the trip. Neither manuscript was published in Byrd's lifetime, although both were eventually published.
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| | | Call #: | Mss.975.5.B99s | | | Extent: | 1 volume(s) | | | Topics: | Colony and State Specific History | Exploration. | Land and Speculation | Natural history | Surveying and Maps | | | Genre: | Manuscript Essays | Maps and Surveys | Official Government Documents and Records | Travel Narratives and Journals | | | Subjects: | Boundaries, State. | |
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