An Act for the formation of a new County out of the counties of Washington and Jefferson, 1815

SEC. I. BE it enacted by the Legislative Council and House of Representatives, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That from and after the first day of January next, all that part of the counties of Washington and Jefferson, which is included in the following bounds, shall form and constitute a new county, that is to say. Beginning at a point on the east fork of White River where the line dividing sections four and five, in range two east, town three north crosses the same; thence due north to the Indian boundary line; thence with said boundary line eastward to the point where said line intersects the northern boundary line of the Grouseland purchase ; thence with the last mentioned line eastwardly to the point where the line dividing ranges seven and eight east, crosses the same; thence with the last mentioned line south, to the point where the line dividing townships three and four north, crosses the same; thence with the last mentioned line west, to the east fork of Muscacketuck river; thence down the said river, with the meanders thereof, to the junction of Drift fork of White river; thence down the same with the meanders to the place of beginning.

§ 2. Be it further enacted, That the said county shall, from and after the first day of January next, be known and designated by the name and style of the county of Jackson, and it shall enjoy all the rights and privileges, and jurisdictions, which to a separate county do or may properly appertain and belong: Provided always, That all suits, pleas, plaints, actions and proceedings, which may before the said first day of January, have been commenced, instituted and depending within the now counties of Washington and Jefferson, shall be prosecuted to final judgment and effect, in the same manner as if this act had never been passed: And Provided also, That the Territorial and county levies, as taxes which are now due, within the bounds of the said new county, shall be collected and paid, in the same manner, and by the same officers, as they would have been, if the erection of said new county had not taken place.

§ 3. Be it further enacted, That Alexander A. Meek, of Jefferson county, Joseph Bartholomew of Clark county, Peter M'Intosh of Harrison county, Ralph Cotton, jun. of Switzerland county, and William Lindley of Washington county, be and they are hereby appointed commissioners, to designate the place for the permanent seat of Justice of Jackson county, agreeably to an act, entitled "An act, for fixing the seats of Justice in all new counties hereafter to be laid off." The commissioners above named, or others appointed by the proper court, shall convene at the house of John Ketchum, on Driftwood river, on the second Monday of February next, and there proceed to discharge the duties assigned them by law.

§ 4. And be it further enacted, That the Assistant Judges of the circuit court, shall within twelve months after the permanent seat of Justice be established, proceed to erect the necessary public buildings thereon.

§ 5. And he it further enacted, That until suitable accommodations can be had, in the opinion of said court, at the seat of Justice of said new county, all the courts of Justice for the same, shall be holden at the town of Velonia.

§ 6. Be it further enacted, That whenever the Indian title to the lands, north of and adjoining to the lands, already purchased, and sold by the United States, all that tract of country, north of said county of Jackson, south of the line dividing townships seven and eight north, and lying between ranges three and eight east, shall be attached to and become a part of said county of Jackson, and the said line dividing townships seven and eight north, shall be the permanent northern boundary of said county of Jackson.

§ 7. Be it further enacted, That to prevent future disputes, and in some measure to quiet the solicitudes which usually attend the settlement of new counties, respecting fixing county seats, &c. it is hereby declared, that the future permanent northern boundary of the county of Jefferson shall be an east and west line dividing townships five and six north ; and whenever the inhabitants north of said east and west line, determined as the future northern boundary of Jefferson county, and lying between ranges seven and twelve east, amount to two hundred rank and file on the muster roll, they shall be entitled to the privileges of becoming a new county.

This act to take effect from and after the first day of January, 1816.