Within this county lies Point Pleasant, scene of the famous battle. This was the second time that Virginia had attempted to pay honor to George Mason of "Gunston Hall", author of the Bill of Rights. The earlier Mason County formed in 1789 became a part of Kentucky three years later, and the later Mason was destined to lie in West Virginia. George Mason, Thomas Jefferson and the Marquis de la Fayette are not represented in the list of Virginia counties. The county of Giles formed in 1806 was created from portions of Montgomery, Monroe and Tazewell counties, and is now a border county between Virginia and West Virginia. Its boundaries are thus described: "Beginning at the end of Gauley mountain on New River, where the counties of Greenbrier and Kanawha intersect, thence up the river with the Greenbrier and Montgomery lines to the intersection of Monroe line; thence with the Monroe and Montgomery line to the upper end of Pine's plantation; thence a straight line to the mouth of Rich creek, leaving the plantation of Hugh Caperton on the right; thence with the Monroe line to the intersection of Botetourt County line and with the Botetourt and Montgomery lines to the top of Gap mountain; thence along the top of the said mountain to New River crossing the same to the end of Walker's creek mountain; thence along the top of the said mountain to the intersection of Wythe county line; thence northwestwardly with said line to the intersection of Tazewell line, and with the Tazewell and Montgomery line to the top of Wolf creek mountain; thence along Wolf creek mountain to a path leading from the Round Bottom to Harman's mill about three miles below the mouth of Clear Fork of Wolf creek; thence a straight line to the mouth of Militin's fork; thence a direct line to the head of Crane creek on the top of the Flat-top mountain; thence a direct line to the three forks of Guyandotte river; thence down said river until it intersects Kanawha county line; thence with said line to the beginning." Mountain Lake is situated in Giles County, and is a well-known summer resort. It is also of interest for the wide range of plant life found in its vicinity. Members of the University of Virginia's Biological Department maintain a field station there and in the summer study the wide variety of plants growing nearby. Giles County was named in honor of William B. Giles who in 1800 was prominent in Virginia politics. He later served as Governor 1827-1830. In 1808 Amherst County was divided according to its parish lines, the western or upper part of the county which lay in Lexington Parish retained the name of Amherst, and the lower or more eastern part took the name of Nelson. This as will be recalled was the second attempt to honor Governor Thomas Nelson, whose Yorktown home still holds buried in its eastern wall two cannon balls, grim mementoes of the battle of Yorktown.