Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon letter to Benjamin Chew, August 25, 1767
Permanent ID:
10984Date:
August 25 1767Image Description:
Correspondence from Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon to Benjamin Chew relating to Mason and Dixon's survey of the demarcation line among Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and West Virginia, forming part of the boundaries of each state. Mason and Dixon surveyed the area between 1763 and 1767 to resolve a boundary dispute between the Province of Pennsylvania, the Province of Maryland, and Delaware Colony resulting from conflicting charters granted to these territories. Most critically, both Pennsylvania and Maryland claimed land near the 40th parallel, which, if interpreted in Maryland's favor, would have placed Philadelphia within Maryland's borders. Appointed as Secretary of the Boundary Commission in 1750, Benjamin Chew, Esq. represented the Penn family for the following seventeen years in their boundary dispute with first Charles Calvert, 5th Baron of Baltimore, and then his son Frederick Calvert, 6th Baron of Baltimore, of Maryland until it was peacefully resolved in 1767.Address:
Benjamin Chew, PhiladelphiaFormat:
CorrespondenceCollection:
Chew Family papersRelated People or Organizations:
Mason, Charles, 1728-1786 (author)Dixon, Jeremiah (author)
Benjamin Chew, 1722-1810 (correspondent)