This is the only book in existence which accurately shows the dates of formation of Virginia counties, the territory from which they were formed, their boundaries and jurisdiction, and the origin of their names--and backs up the information with documentation. While only 100 Virginia counties exist today, at least 172 were created at one time or another by Virginia legislation. Numerous counties became extinct, merged with other counties or changed their name, while others were cut off to form the states of Kentucky and West Virginia. Since genealogical records created at the time of these events are not easy to track down without accurate information, this work, a kind of "Rosetta Stone" to Virginia counties, unravels all the mysteries surrounding their origins and alterations.