Its bounds are as follows: "Beginning at a point in the line of the counties of Rockingham and Orange on the top of the Blue Ridge opposite to the headwaters of Naked creek in the county of Rockingham; thence a straight line to the headwaters of said creek; thence with the meanderings of said creek to its junction with the South river; thence down the bed of said river to the upper end of Michael Shuler's island; thence a straight line to the mouth of Shuler's run; thence with the main branch of said run to its source; thence a straight line to the top of the Massanutten mountain; thence with the top of said mountain to its termination near Daniel Clem's; thence to the top of the eastern Fort mountain; thence with the top of said mountain to a point opposite to the mouth of Cunningham's run in the county of Shenandoah; thence a straight line to the mouth of said run; thence with the said run to its source; thence to a point in a direct line to the top of the Blue Ridge in the line of the two counties of Shenandoah and Culpeper; and thence with the top of the Blue Ridge to the beginning." From Washington and Wythe in 1832 was established the new county of Smyth situated in the southwestern section of Virginia and extending to the North Carolina line. The name derives from General Alexander Smyth of Wythe County, Inspector General of the Army in 1812 and Member of Congress 1817-1825, 1827-1830. A portrait of him by Saint Memin is in the Corcoran Art Gallery. The bounds of the county are set forth as follows: "Beginning on the main stage road at a bridge in a hollow at a point where the spring branch of Phillip Griever deceased crosses the same; thence a direct line, passing equidistant between Preston's and King's salt wells to the line of Russell county; and from the said point on the main stage road aforesaid where the said spring branch crosses the same running south twenty-five degrees east to the southern boundary of Washington county; and beginning on the main stage coach road leading by Abingdon and Wythe courthouse, ten miles by the said road dividing Washington and Wythe counties; running thence northwest to the northern boundary of Wythe county and southeast to the southern boundary of Wythe county. The said line through Wythe county running precisely parallel with the line aforesaid through Washington County." In the above we note the great development that had taken place in this section, a "stagecoach road" and two towns, Abingdon and Wythe Courthouse, being mentioned for the first time. A road over which a heavy stagecoach could travel was a big advance over the bridle paths and "rolling roads" of the preceding century.