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Dane County, is bounded on the north by Sauk and Portage counties, on the east by Dodge and Jefferson, on the south by Rock and Green, and on the west by Iowa and Sauk counties; or on the north by the north line of town nine, east by the east line of range twelve, south by the south line of town five and west by the west line of range six. It is forty two miles long from east to west and thirty miles wide, with an area of twelve hundred and [forty one] 35 square miles or sections.

Dane county was set off from the west part of Milwaukee and the east part of Iowa counties in 1836, and organized as a separate county in 1839. Its population in 1838 was 172; in 1840 it was 314, and in 1842 is 776. The county seat is Madison the Capital of the Territory. The face of the county in this large and important, central county is much diversified by hills and valleys; the hills however always of moderate elevation and with gentle slopes to their summits. There is no considerable part of the county which can be called "timber land",

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