Duke's County, Massachusetts
Edgartown is the county town. This county is formed of the islands of Martha's Vineyard, Chappequiddic, Elizabeth Islands, and No Man's Land—the latter of which is the southern extremity of Massachusetts. These islands lie off and S. of Barnstable county and Buzzard's bay, and contain about 120 square miles. The principal island, Martha's Vineyard, the Indian Nope or Capawock, was first settled by whites, at Edgartown, in 1641, and is 21 miles in length and 6 in breadth. Although a large portion of this county is woodland, and many of the people engaged in the fisheries and coasting trade, yet considerable exports are annually made of wool, woolen cloth, salt and grain. This county suffered much during the revolutionary war. In 1778, the people were compelled to surrender their fire arms and 2,300 head of cattle to the British. Incorporated, 1695. Population, 1820, 3,292; 1830, 3,518; 1837, 3,785: 32 inhabitants to a square mile. There were on these islands, in 1837, 11,281 sheep.
