Smyrna times., 1866-09-26
Names Of the States.

A correspondent inquiries why the States are
called by their present names, and what are
their derivatiOnS and meaning. The results of
our Investigations in this matter are the follow
ing =
MAINE-So called from the province of
Maine, in France, in compliment of Queen
Henrietta of England, who, it has been said,
owned that province. This is the commonly
received opinion.
New HAMPsHIRE-Named by John Ma
son, in 1859, (whO with another obtained the
grant from the CROWN from Hampshire coun-
ty in England. The former name Of the do
main was l4acOnia.
VERMONT From the French rerd mont, or
green mountain, indicative of the mountainous
nature of the State. This name was first Off
cially recognized Jan. IT, HI.
MASSACHUSETTS, Indian name, signitying
9 the country about the great hills, 1. e., the
Blue Hills"
RHODE lSLAND.-This name was adopted
in l644 from the Island of Rhodes, in the
Mediterranean, because of its fanced resem-
blance to that island.
CONNECTICUT.-This is the English orthog-
raphy Of the Indian Quon.ch ta-cIt, which
signifies " the long river
New YORK.-Named by the Duke of York
under color Of title given him by the English
crown in 1864.
New JERsEY-So called in honor of Sir
George Carteret, who was Governor Of the
island of Jersey, in the British Channel
PENNsYLvANIA.-From Admiral Penn, the
father of the founder of the colony, meaning
Penn woods.
DELAwARE-In honor of Thomas West,
Lord delaware, who visited the bay and died
there in 1910
MARYLAND After Henrietta Maria queen
of Charles l. Of England
| VIRGINIA.-SO called in honor OF Queen Eli
zabeth, the virgin queen" in whose regr
Sir Walter Raleigh made the first attempt tt
colOnize that region.
| North and South Carolina were originally il
one tract, called Carolina, " after Charles IN
of France, in 1904. Subsequently, in 1865
the name was altered to Carolina.
GEORGIA-So called in honor of George II
of England who established colony in tha
region in 1892.
FLoRIDA.-Ponce de Leon, who discovered
this portion of North America, in 1912, name'
it Florida in commemoration of the day hi
landed there, which was the Pasquas de tlore
of the Spaniards, or Feast of Flowers" 9th
erwise known as Easter Sunday.
FL ALABAMA-Formerly portion OF Mlssls
sippi territory, admitted to the Union as stat
in 1919. The name is of an Indian origin
signifying "h here we rest.
| MISSISSIPPI portion of the pro
. vince of Louisiana. So named in 1900, from
, the great river on its western line. The tern
5 is of Indian origin, meaning long river. "
t LOUIsIANA.-FrOm Louis XIV. of France
who for some time prior to 1863 owned the ter
ritOry.
0 ARKANsAs.-From Kansas" the India
0 word for smoky water, with the French pre-
r fix "are," bow.
= TENNESSEE. for river of the bi
y bend, 1. E., the Mississippi, which is the Yves
= tern boundary.
:, KENTUCKY.-Indian for I" at the head OF tn
: river. :"
v OHIo.-From the Indian, meaning "beau
e tiful." Previously applied to the river, whic
n traverses q great portion of its borders.
10 MICHIGAN Previously applied to the lake
= the Indian name for fish weir. So calle
|. from the fancied resemblance of the lake to
% fsh-trap.
INDIANA.-So called in 1902, from tn
" American Indians.
If ILIINoIs.-F the Indiana "illini, mer
IS and the French sufhx Ois, &" together signify
p ing tribe of men,
d WISCONSIN. Indian term for wild-rusl
n, ing channel"
Y, branch of the Mississippi which flows throug
ne it. Indian term meaning muddy"
le IOwA.-From the Indian, signifying eth
j. drowsy ones"
IS MINNEsOTA. for "cloudy water. :"
in CALIFORNIA.-The name given by Corte,
ed the discoverer Of that region. He probab
he obtained it from an old Spanish romance,
pt which an imaginary island of that name is d.
an scribed as Astounding in gold.
an misunderstanding to some from the Ii
e. dian origin, river of the west" Others col
n slider it derived from the Spanish "oregana,
wild marjoram, which grows abundantly on II
ed Pacific coast.-IhrenotogicaE journal.
in -%-~>-
at CHIcAGo.-Chicago-which in 1912, at Il
-al commencement of hostilities with Enpan,
ns contained only one rude fort for It's ,rotont;1