Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 11.djvu/56

 50 Frederick V. Holman Josephine County. Josephine County was created January 22, 1856, by the Territorial Legislature. (General Laws of 1855-6, page 30). It comprised a part of the western portion of Jackson County. It is named for Josephine Rollins, a daughter of an early miner in that part of Oregon. Josephine County is now bounded : on the north by Douglas County; on the east by Jackson County; on the south by the California line ; and on the west by Curry County. Its county seat is Grant's Pass. Baker County. Baker County was created September 22, 1862, by the State Legislature. (General Laws of 1862, page 112). It com- prised the eastern part of Wasco County, bounded on the north by the forty-sixth parallel of latitude, the boundary line there between Oregon and Washington, on the east by Snake River to the mouth of the Owyhee River, thence south to the boundary line between Oregon and Nevada, on the south by the latter line to the one hundred and eighteenth parallel of west longtitude, and on the west by the latter longitude and the summit of the Blue Mountains. It is named for Col. E. D. Baker, who was a brilliant orator. He came to Oregon from California in the spring of i860 with the intention of being elected an United States Senator from Oregon. In this he was successful, being elected in the autumn of i860. He was killed at the battle of Ball's Bluff, Virginia, October 21, 1861, while leading a spectacular but ill-advised charge against the Confederate forces. Baker County is now bounded: on the north by Union and Wallowa Counties; on the east by Snake River, the boundary between Oregon and Idaho; on the south by Mal- heur County and a portion of Grant County; and on the west by Grant County. Its county seat is Baker City.