Editing Berkeley County, West Virginia (section)

===Joining West Virginia===
During the American Civil War (1861–1865), Berkeley and Jefferson counties, both lying on the [[Potomac River]] east of the mountains, with the consent of the [[Restored government of Virginia|Reorganized Government of Virginia]], voted in favor of annexation to West Virginia in 1863. The occupying Federal troops in the area ensured the desired outcome.{{citation needed|date=August 2022}} Many voters absent in the Confederate Army when the vote was taken refused to acknowledge the transfer upon their return. The [[Virginia General Assembly]] repealed the Act of Secession and in 1866 brought suit against West Virginia, asking the court to declare the counties a part of Virginia. Meanwhile, Congress, on March 10, 1866, passed a joint resolution recognizing the transfer. In 1871, the U.S. Supreme Court decided ''[[Virginia v. West Virginia]]'',<ref>{{cite court |litigants=Virginia v. West Virginia |vol=78 |reporter=U.S. |opinion=39 |date=1871 |url=http://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/78/39/case.html |access-date=March 7, 2012}}</ref> upholding the secession of West Virginia, including Berkeley and Jefferson counties, from Virginia.{{Citation needed|reason=This claim needs a source, by June 1863, 48 counties were a de facto part of WV, however, Berkeley and Jefferson were the reason of the Congressional Mandate in 1866 (See WV A History by Otis Rice|date=February 2013}}

In 1863, West Virginia's counties were divided into [[civil township]]s, with the intention of encouraging local government. This proved impractical in the heavily rural state, and in 1872 the townships were converted into [[minor civil division|magisterial districts]].<ref>{{cite book|author1=Otis K. Rice|author2=Stephen W. Brown|title=West Virginia: A History|edition=2nd|publisher=University Press of Kentucky|location=Lexington|year=1993|page=240}}</ref> Berkeley County was divided into seven districts: Arden, Falling Waters, Gerrardstown, Hedgesville, Martinsburg, Mill Creek, and Opequon.{{efn-lr|Over time, Falling Water and Gerardstown came to be spelled "Falling Waters" and "Gerrardstown", but both spellings were in use for several decades.}} The town of Martinsburg was originally co-extensive with Martinsburg District, but later spread into adjoining districts. Between 1990 and 2000, Berkeley County was redivided into six magisterial districts: Adam Stephens, Norborne, Potomac, Shenandoah, Tuscarora, and Valley.<ref>[[United States Census Bureau]], [[United States Census|U.S. Decennial Census]], Tables of Minor Civil Divisions in West Virginia, 1870–2010.</ref>