> > One is about the southern Maryland border - the Potomac - according to > this > tale, the boundary river was supposed to have been the south branch, > which > would have places several present WVA counties in Maryland. > > > I would like to know if anyone else ever heard these stories... > > From The West Virginia Review. October, 1935, "Boundaries of West Virginia" "The Maryland Boundary - In the Charter granted June 20, 1632, by King Charles I of England to Cecilius Calvert, Baron of Baltimore, the extent of territory therein adjacent to what is now West Virginia was described as within lines . . . passing from the said Bay, called Delaware Bay, in a right Line, by the Degree aforesaid (fortieth degree of north latitude), unto the true meridian of the first Fountain of the River of Pattowmack (ad verum Meridianis primi Fontis Fluminis de Pattowmack), thence verging toward the South, unto the further Bank of the said River, and following the same on the West and South, unto a certain Place, called Cinquack, situate near the mouth of the said River, where it disembogues into the aforesaid Bay of Chesapeake . . . Maryland, it will be noted, was to extend west to a north and south line passing through the first fountain or head of the Potomac River and was to extend south to the southern bank of' that stream. King James II of England confirmed a grant of the Northern Neck of Virginia to Thomas (Lord) Culpeper, September 27, 1688. This territory was "bounded by and within the first heads or springs of the rivers" Rappahannock and Potomac. Lord Fairfax subsequently succeeded to the rights under the grant. To settle boundary disputes arising between the governor and council of Virginia and Lord Fairfax, commissioners were named to determine the limits described in the Northern Neck conveyance. These commissioners chose the Northern Branch of the Potomac as the one on which to locate the first head or spring. At this head spring the Fairfax Stone was planted in 1746." Richard