Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1871-11-30

"A correspondents tuA 49, WY tue Stdtes
are called by their - vent names, and
what are their deriy,tS3ss and meaning.
The resr}ssof our ugstions. in this
matter are the following.
Maine-So called from the province of
Maine. in France, in compliment TO 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 1889, (who with another obtained
the grant from the crown.) from Hamp-
shire county in England. The former
name Of Tie domain was Laconia.
Vermont FROM the French verdmont
or green mountain. Indicative of the noun
famous nature of the State. This name
was first officially recognized January 10,
III.
Observation-Disclosures name, signify
ing "thc country about the great hills, =
i. e the "Bluc Hills"
Rhode Island This name was adopted
in 1914. from the Island of Rhodes. in the
Mediterranean. because of its fancicd re-
semblanct to that island
Connecticut. This is the English or
biography of the Tnlian word Quon-ch- ta-
cut. which signifies ''thc long river"
New York Named by the Duke of
York, under color of title given him by
the English crown in 1864.
New Jcrsey.-So called in honor of
Sir George Carteret, who was Governor
of the island of Jersey, in the British Cham
mel.
Pennsylvania From William Penn.
the founder of the colony, meaning "Penn's
Woods"
Delaware-In honor of Thomas West,
Lor de-la-Warc, who visited the bay and
died there in 1910.
Maryland. After Henrietta Maria,
Queen Of Charles l., Of England.
Nirginia.-So called in honor of Queen
Elizabeth, the virgin queen" in whose
reign Sir Walter Raleigh made the first
attempt to colonize that region.
North and South Carolina were orici-
nallv in one tract called Carolina" af-
ter Charles x. of France, 1901. Subse-
qucntly, in 1860, the name was altered to
Carolina.
Georgia called in honor Of George
IT, of England, who established 4 colony
in that region in 1882.
Florida.-Poncc de Leon, who discov-
cred this portion of North America in
lJl2, named it Florida in commemoration
of The day lie landed there, which was the
PaGuas de Flores of the Spaniards, or
.'Fcast If Flowers" or otherwise known
as Easter Sunday.
Aabama.-Formerly portion of Mis-
sissippi Territory. admitted into the Tn
ion as a State in 1919 The name is Of
Indian origin, signifying "here we rest. :"
Mississippi. Formerly portion of the
province of Louisiana. So named in 1900
from the great river on its Western line
Tile term is of Indian origin, meaning
.'long river"
Louisiana. From Louis XIV. ofFrancc
who for some time prior to 17G5 owned
the territory.
Arkansas. Prom "Kansas. "the Indian
word for smoky water" with the Freuch
profx are
Tenncssee.-Indian for "river Of the
big bend, i. c the Mississippi, which is
is Western boundary.
kcutuchy.-Indian for "at the head Of
the river"
Ohio.-From the Indian. meaning
beautiful Previously applied to the
river, which traverses great part of its
borders
Michigan Previously applied to the
lake, the Indian name for fish weir. So
called from the fancied resemblance Of the
lake to fish trap.
Indiana-So called in 1902, from the
American indians.
lllino,s.-From the Indian '.illini.'' :
men. and the French suffix .'ois,' togcth-
er siguifving tribe Of me1"
NiSsouri.-Named in 1912. from the
great branch ofthe Mississippi which flows
through it. Indian term means mud
dy."
Wisconsin.-Indian term for wild
rushing channel"
Iowa.-From the Indian, siraifvinc
1.-The drowsy ones.
Minncsota.-Indian for I" cloudy wa
ter"
California.-The name given by Cortes.
the di>covercr Of this region. lie p7oba-
bly obtained it from an old Spanish ro.
nance. in which an imaginary island o.
that name is described as aboundinr in
gold.
Oregon According to some from the
Indian oregon. ''riveT Of the west" 9th
ers consider it derived from the Sranis,
"orccano, wild marjoram, which grow.
abuuiantly on the Pacific coast.-Gal.f,u
City.