TALBOT, county of Maryland, bounded S. and SE. by Choptank river, separating it from Dor chester county, Maryland; E. by Choptank and Tuckahoe rivers, separating it from Caroline coun ty; N. by Queen Anne county; and NV. and SW. by Chesapeake bay. Greatest length almost ex actly on one degree E. of the meridian of Washing ton city, and from the southern angle on Choptank river 25 miles, to the northern angle on Queen Anne. The western part is so much indented by small bays extending inland from Chesapeake bay as to render the mean width difficult to determine, but the aggregate land area being 250 square miles, the mean breadth will be about 10 miles. It lies between Lat. 38° 34', and 38° 56' N. and between Long. 0° 42' and 1° 10' E. from NV. C.
The whole county is a peninsula between Chop tank river and Chesapeake bay, but is again cut into three minor peninsular sections by Choptank, Tread Haven, and St. Michael's bays. Surface generally flat, but with a slight southern declivity. So much is it indented by small creeks or inlets, that it is probable not a single point within its boundaries is three direct miles from a navigable water.
By the post list of 1831, Talbot county had post offices at Easton the seat of justice, and at St. Mi chaels, Trop, and Wye Mills.
Easton, the county seat, stands near the head of Treadhaven bay, about 50 miles SE. from Balti more, by post road; 47 miles SE. by E. from An napolis, and 84 a little S. of E. from Washington City. N. Lat. 38° 46', and Long. 1° E. of the meri dian of Washington City. Easton is a seaport and considerably the largest town of the eastern shore of either Virginia or Maryland. Population, 1830, 12,947.
Whether the discrepancy arises from a defective mode of taking the census, or from a real diminu tion, the population of Talbot county of Maryland appears to have decreased in the decennial period from 1820 to 1830; as at the former epoch the ag gregate was 14,389, but at the latter, only 12,947, showing a difference of 1442.