WASHINGTON, county of Missouri, hounded by Madison, S.E., St. Francis county E., Jefferson, N.E., Franklin N., and as laid down on Tanner's Map, by territory not laid out into counties on the S. and \V. Length, from S. to N. 40, mean width 25, and area 1000 square miles. Extending in Lat. from 37° 35' to 38° 10', and in Long. from 13° 36' to 14° 08' W. from W. C. This county, as delineated by Tanner, has a natural boundary on the S. by the Iron mountains, from the southern slopes of which and the border of the county, rise the extreme sources of St. Francis and Black rivers. The body of the county, however, declines almost due north, and is drained by the fountains of both main branches of Merrimac rivers. The tract of country embraced by \Vashingion county is an important section of the state of Missouri. The intelligent Henry R. Schoolcraft, who visited the lead mines at and contiguous to Potosi, speaks thus of the country:" Washington county, although the seat of the principal lead mines, is at the same time not deficient in farming land. Big River, (the eastern branch of Merrimac), in its whole course, which is long and devious, and most completely subtends the north, east, and south boundaries of Washington county, affords the finest of farming lands. The principal farming tracts of this county, which, although detached with ridges of poor land intervening, vet, taken in the aggregate, bear a res pectable proportion to its whole number of square miles, and exalt its agricultural character above that of the mining counties (of Missouri), St.
Genevieve excepted. Bellevue abounds in granite and iron ore. The iron of Bellevue, is a subject of universal notoriety. In the richness of the ore and extent of the beds or mines, it is no where paral leled. The most noted place is called the Iron mountains, where the ore is piled in such enormous masses as to constitute the entire southern extre mity of a lofty ridge, which is elevated 500 or 600 feet above the plain." Mr Schoolcraft denominates the species of iron ore to be called micaceous oxyde of iron, and very rich in quality. This author enumerates zinc, also, amongst the minerals of Washington county, but lead was the (1819) only ore worked to any great amount, if we except three saltpetre caves. In 1831, by the post-office list, beside at Potosi, the county seat, there were offices at Caledonia, Harmony, and Old Mines; Potosi, the seat of justice, is situated on a branch of Big River, about 60 miles S. W. from St. Louis, 40 W. from St. Genevieve, and by post road, 127 miles, S.E. by E. from Jefferson, the seat of gov ernment of the state. N. Lat. 37° 36', Long. 13° 48' W. from W. C. Population in 1830, 6784.