Deriving its name from George Montagu Dunk, second Earl of Halifax (1716-1771) who as President of the Board of Trade aided in the foundation of Halifax and in the colonization of Nova Scotia, Halifax County was established by Order in-Council on August 17, 1759. The boundaries of four other counties - Annapolis, Kings, Cumberland and Lunenburg - were specifically defined at that time, with Halifax County comprising all the part of peninsular Nova Scotia that was not comprehended within their limits. Following the Seven Years War, Cape Breton Island was formally annexed to Nova Scotia. For a time it formed part of Halifax County. Although the creation of Queens County in 1762 and of Hants County in 1781 caused no change in its size, two develop ments in 1784 did alter the boundaries of Halifax County. Cape Breton Island was cut off from it and made a separate colony that year. Two new counties - Shelburne and Sydney (Antigonish) - were established in the same year, with Sydney County being formed out of what had previously been part of Halifax County. The boundaries of Halifax County were modified in 1822. By an Order-In-Council of that year that part of St. Mary's Township (established in 1818) which had been in Halifax County was annexed to and included within Sydney County. Subsequently, various lines were surveyed and con firmed and the dividing line between the Districts of Halifax and Colchester was confirmed and established on May 3, 1828. In 1835, Halifax County was divided and the Counties of Colchester and Pictou were created out of parts of what had hitherto been Halifax County. That which had been the District of Colchester now became Colchester County; that which had been the District of Pictou now became Pictou County and that which had been the District of Halifax now became Halifax County. A minor change was made in the boundaries between the Counties of Halifax and Guysborough in 1863 by means of a small area being added to Guysborough County. Subsequently in 1871 part of the line of the Counties of Colchester and Halifax was established by statute. Eventually in 1880 the boundary between the Counties of Halifax and Colchester was fixed.