Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1843-12-21

the names of countries, towns, rivers,
&c. if the circumstances associated with
theil origin could be we'll ascertained.
There is for the most part. always some.
thing important i'll the infant history Of
a place, told by its name. What we see
attempted in the following, (Which we
find in the Spectator would be extreme
ly interesting and instructive, j f extended
to all the striking objects in our country
especially if the Indian names preserv-
ed should have their meaning aud the OBJ
scure tradition of their application Civ
en-.
Origin Of the Names ollie States.
Maine was so called as early as 1888.
from Maine in France, of which Henri
eta Maria, Queen Of England, was at
that time proprietor.
New Hampshire was the name given to-
the territory convened by the Piym0uth
company to Capt John Mason. by pa
tent, November 7, 1858, with reference
to the patentee, who was Governor of
Portsmouth, in Hampshire, England.
Vermont was so called by the inhabi-
tants in their Declaration of lndepen-
dence January 16, W.T., from the French
uerd green. and mont mountain.
Massachusetts, took its name from a
tribe of Indians in the neiehbolIiOod of
Boston. The tribe is thought to have
derived its name from the Blue Hills of
MitOe. 81 have learned" saws Roger
Williams, "that the Massachusetts were
so called from the Blue Hills"
Rhode Island was so called in lG44,
in reference to the Island of Rhodes, in
the Mediterranean.
Connecticut was so called from the In.
dian name of its principal river.
New York was so called in reference
to the Duke of York and Albany, to
whom this territory was granted.
Pennsylvania was so called in 1851, af-
ter William Penn.
Delaware was so called in 17O3, from
Delaware Bay, on which it lies, and
! which received its name from De La
War, who died in this bay.
Maryland was so called IN honor 0 {
! Henrietta Maria, Queen Of Charles I, in
his patent to Lord Baltimore, June so
1852.
Virginia was so called in 1884, after
Elizabeth, the Virgin Queen of England.
| Carolina was so called b. the French
in 1864, in honor of King Charles TX, of
France.
= Georgia was so called in 1922, in hon
or of King George II
Alabama was so called in 1917, from
| its principal river.
Mississippi was so called in 1900, from
its western boundary. Mississippi is
said to denote the whole river-that is
the river formed by the u"ion Of many.
! Louisiana was so called in honor of
Louis AVI, of France.
Tennessee was so called in 1876, from
its principal river. The word Tennes-
see is said to signify carved spoon.
Kentucky was so called in 1882, from
! its principal river.
! Illinois was so called in 1909, from its
principal river. The word is said to
signify the river Of men.
Indiana was so called in 1902, from
/ the American Indians.
Ohio was so called in 1892, from its
southern boundary.
Missouri was so called in 1921, from
( its principal river.
Michigan was so called in 1905. from
/ from the lake on its borders.
/ Arkansas was SO called in 1919, from
! its principal river.
Florida was so called by Juan Ponce
| De Leon, in 1872, because 1t was discov-
cred on Easter Sunday-in Spanish,
/ Pascas Fo,icd.
There is a mistake in regard to the
origin Of the name of Kentucky. The
State does not derive IFS name from the
Indian appellation of the river, but, on
the contrary, the Indian name for the
whole country has been applied to the
river. Chenoa was the Indian name for
the river now called Kentucky. We
have near female relative daughter Of
Col. Hart born in B0on's fort, on that
river, who was called Chenoa Hart from
that circumstance being Christened liz
the water of the stream then known by
its Indian name ChenoG. Ii afterwards
took tho name of the region with which
it was rrouEde3-Kentucky, or tie
idnd of blood, as it was designated by the
! Northern aud Southern tribes, who held
4 this rich and wide land as an intermedi-
ate hunting ground between tile terrific
res to the north and south, on which
they had their homes and villages, and
spots of cultivation. Kentucky was
rich region. with all its fertile hills and
valleys covered with harvests of mast,
nuts, acorns, woodland fruits of all sorts,
and its luxuriant plains waving with
cane. The prodigal provision with which
the whole land thus teemed, filled it
with buffalo, elk, deer, bear, turkies. and
the minor species of game; and to it the
tribes repaired from beyond the Ohio on
the one hand, and the Tennessee on the
other, to kill the meats for their winter
support. 1t became annually, therefore.
the land of Blood" not only from the,
slaughter Of the game. but from the bat