In 1791, to aid in establishing the Federal City, as Washington was sometimes called, Virginia gave to the United States certain land taken from Fairfax County to form a part of the District of Columbia. In the Act quoted above it has been seen that the United States retroceded to Virginia that part of the District of Columbia which comprised the county of Alexandria. The name in 1920 was changed to Arlington. Across the state from Alexandria the new county of Highland came into being in 1847, being taken from parts of Pendleton and Bath. Its bounds are thus given: "Beginning where the North river gap road crosses the Augusta county line, and running thence to the top of Jackson's mountain so as to leave Jacob Hiver's mansion house in Pendleton county; thence to Andrew Fleisher's so as to include his mansion house in the new county; thence to the highlands between the Dry run and Crab bottom; and thence along the top of the High Knob; thence north sixty-five degrees west to Pocahontas county line; thence along said county line to the plum orchard on the top of the Alleghany mountains; thence to Adam Stephenson's mansion house on Jackson's river in Bath county so as to include Thomas Campbell's mansion house on Back creek and also said Adam Stephenson's in the new county; thence to Andrew H. Byrd's mansion house on the Cow-pasture river so as to include the same in the new county, and so as to leave the dwelling house of William M'Clintick, jr. in Bath county; thence south sixty-five degrees east to the Augusta county line and thence with said line to the beginning." The name of the county is derived from its exceptionally high altitude, and the name of its county seat, Monterey, reflects the popular interest felt in the victory General Taylor had just won over the Mexicans at the Battle of Monterey. After the formation of Highland County five counties destined to lie in West Virginia were established. The first of these, Hancock, created in 1848 out of Brooke, lies in the extreme northern tip of the present state between the Ohio river and the Pennsylvania state line. Its name honors the first Signer of the Declaration of Independence, whose distinguished signature is familiar through countless reproductions. In this same year from portions of Jackson and Wood counties was formed Wirt. This is in the northwestern area of the state not far from Parkersburg. In the description of bounds, only three land owners are named, John Stephens, junior, John P. Thomasson and William Goff. The name of the county honored the distinguished lawyer, William Wirt, who had died a few years before. He had served as Attorney General of the United States from 1817 to 1829 and had been a candidate for the Presidency on the Anti-Masonic ticket in 1832. He is best remembered for his life of Patrick Henry.