COUNTY (OF. counts, eontec, Fr. cont(', It. rant ado, from Lat. eon)itatns. county, escort, from comes, count, companion). Either (a) one of the civil divisions of a country, for judi cial and political purposes; or (b) a local sub division of a State created by the sovereign power of its own regardless of the solicita tion or consent of the inhabitants of said sub division; or (c) a "local organization which, for the purpose of civil administration, is invested with the functions of a corporate existence." The Saxon term was 'shire,' a name still pre served in England. In the United States coun ties are divided into a number of townships or towns. Cities and incorporated towns and vil lages are, generally speaking, subdivisions of comities and townships, but in some instances a city may he geographically coterminous with a county. as is the case with Chicago and Phila delphia, while 'the city of New York' includes within its municipal limits four distinct coun ties. Tn Louisiana the similar division is called a 'parish.' For purposes of local government, each county has at least one court. and one prison, and usually an almshouse. The smaller divisions are townships. from three or four to a dozen or more in a county. The commissioners
or supervisors of these towns, chosen by popular suffrage, form an administrative board to con duct the financial and other county affairs. In all the United States there are more than 6800 counties. Usually each county chooses one or more members to the Lower I-louse of the State Legisla lure. Counties are the creatures of the legislative will. They are vested with certain corporate pow ers in order to enable them to perform the duties required of them as part of the machinery- of the State; and, inasmuch as all their powers are derived from the Legislature, the latter may en large, modify, or diminish them at any time. Counties are generally invested with the follow ing, corporate powers: To sue and be sued by a corporate name; to have a county-seat, a court house, and prison; to acquire and hold title to real estate; to levy taxes and to make such Con tracts as may be necessary for their cor porate existence. For an historical sketch of the English county, consult Pollock and Maitland. of English. Law (2d ed., Bos ton, 1899). See SHIRE also MtLxiciPAL LAw, and consult the authorities there referred to.