History of LAKE and ROOP Counties 

LAKE COUNTY

In 1861, when the Territory of Nevada was formed, there were originally nine counties. One of these counties, named Lake, comprised the region known today as northern Washoe County. The border between Lake County and Washoe County was just south of Pyramid Lake.
On November 27, 1861 the Territorial Legislature appointed a committee comprised of William Weatherlow, William H. Naliegh and Daniel Murray to organize Lake County.  On September 3, 1862 the first election for County Officials was held. The election, however, was held at Susanville and Janesville, Honey Lake Valley, now in present day California.  This was due in part that California's eastern boundary, the 120th Meridian had not been surveyed. No one was sure where the eastern boundary was.  It was presumed by many that the east crest of the Sierra Nevada Mountains represented the boundary line. In the meantime, Plumas County, California claimed that area was in their jurisdiction.

ROOP COUNTY

The Nevada Territorial Legislature was determined that the area, especially that of the Honey Lake Valley, to retain jurisdiction. On December 2, 1862 they changed the name from Lake to Roop County.The County was named in honor of Isaac N. Roop, who was involved in the early political affairs of Nevada, who in 1859 served as the first Provisional Governor of the Territory of Nevada. Roop was also founder of the town of Susanville, located in the Honey Lake Valley.
This action by the Legislature brought troubles to the region between California and Nevada officials.  In February 1863 Plumas County officials attempted to arrest Roop County officials near Susanville.
This resulted in the conflict known as the Sagebrush War.  In a peace treaty between the two States, it was agreed that party of both California and Nevada surveyors, survey the boundary between the two States. By the summer of 1863 it was determined that Honey Lake Valley was in the State of California. On April 1, 1864 the County of Lassen, State of California was created. This resulted in a major blow to Roop County, for Honey Lake Valley represented the bulk of the population of the County, and it was also the most significant agricultural district.(The extreme eastern portion of Honey Lake Valley, however, is a part of Washoe County, Nevada)
With no major communities or population, Roop County's affairs were affixed to Washoe County, primarily for taxation purposes. In 1883, Roop County officially ceased to exist, when the Nevada Legislature finally abolished the County and annexed it to Washoe County.

Roop County Records Since there never was an official county seat, not a great deal of records were generated. The majority of records concerning Roop County were recorded with records of Susanville. An index to the Justice Court records has been published in a book entitled, "Honey Lake Justice: The Neversweats of the 1860s by Tim I. Purdy". Assessment Records: These records are intermingled with those of Washoe County, though they specifically state that those properties were located in Roop County. U. S. Census Records: The inhabitants of Roop County were not counted in the 1870 Census, nor were they included in the Washoe County Census. Roop County was included, in the 1880 Census, as a County of its own. Roop County Residents The residents who inhabited the County from Smoke Creek Desert to the Oregon border had close ties with Lassen and Modoc Counties, California,  in which most of their trade was conducted.  A majority of those residents would finally make their permanent homes in Lassen and Modoc.  Their activities, and that of vital statistic records appear in the newspapers in those two counties, more so than that of the Reno newspapers.