Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-10-09
Oriein of the Names Of States,

There is much that is interesting in
the study of the origin of the names
of the States OF the Union, as they
are derived FROM variety of sources.
To begin in the geographical order, we
first have Maine, which takes its name
from the province of Maine, which
takes it name from the province of
Maine, in France, and was so called in
compliment to the Queen of Charles l.,
Henrietta, its owner.
New Hampshire-frst called Laco-
nia-from Hampshire, England.
Vermont, from the Green Mountains
(French, Verd Mount.)
Massachusetts, from the Indian Ian
guage, signifying, 1.-THE country about
the great hill"
Rhode Island gets its name from the
fancled resemblance OF the island TO
that of Rhodes in ancient Levant.
Connecticuts name was Mohegan,
spelled originally, Quon-eh-ta-cut, sig
nifying IA long river"
New York wrs so named as a COM
pliment to the Duke of York, whose
brother, Charles H., granted him that
territory.
lew Jersey was named by one Of its
original proprietors, Sir George Car
teret, after the Island of Jersey, in
the British Channel, of which he was
governor.
/ Pennsylvania, as is generally known,
takes its name from William Penn, the
word "sylvania" meaning woods.
Delaware derives its name from
Thomas West, Lord de la Ware, Gov
crnor of Virginia
Maryland received its name from
the Quecn of Charles l., llenriett Ma
ria.
Virginia gets its name from Queen
Elizabeth, the unmarried or virgin
Queen.
The Carollnas were named in b4ner
of Charles l., and =
ChrrIes IL. Vo,l,,,..
Alabama comes from a Greek word,
sigmlying The land of rest
Louisiana was named in honor of
Louis XIV.
Mississippi derives its name from
that of the great river, which is, in
the Natchez tongue, The Father Of
Waters"
Arkansas is derived from the Indian
word kansas" Smokey Water"
with the Ercncn prefix of ark, "a
bow
Tennessee is an Indian name, meal IL
ing 1.-THE river with the big end"
kentucky is also an Indian name.
"kain tuck zee" signifying at the head
of the rff0'tr."
Ohio is the Shawnee name for "The
Beautiful River"
Michigan's name was derived from
the lake, the Indian name for fish
weir Or trap, which the shape Of the
lake suggested.
Indiana $ name is derived from that
of Indians.
Illinois name is derived from the In
dian word .illinos." men, and the
French aliiX "ois' making it Tribes
Of men,
Wisconsln's name is said 10 be the
lniian one for a wild, rushing channel.
Missouri Is also an Indian name for
muddy, having reference to the mud
diness of the Missouri river.
Kansas is the Indian name for smoky
water.
The derivation of the names of Ne
braska and Nevada is unknown.
Iowa signifies in the Indian language
"The drowsy ones," and Minnesota
Cloudy Waters"
The origin of the name of California
is unknown.
THE HABIT OF ATTENTION let
your minds get into ruts, boys. If you
have ever travelled over country roads
in the spring you know how hard it isl
get the wheels out of the deep tracks,
when once you have turned into them.
Just so it is with your minds. You need
to give them a treer range. Have al
ways on hand some really valuable book
quite outside your ordinary pursuits. and
read little in it every day. Read ten
pages attentively, rather than twenty
carelessly.-Learn to pick up knowledge
everywhere, A good newspaper will
give you many valuable thoughts, which
you may as well save as not if you will
but turn them over time or two in
your mind. II is reflection that makes
an idea our own.
You are accustomed to think of
Charles Dickens as wonderful genius.
Yet he says OF himself, "Mv own inven-
ton, or imagination would never have
served me as it has, but for the habit of
humble. patient, daily,
toillng, drudging attention."-lf Dick
ems career would not have been a sue
cess without this habit, you may be quite
sure that yours will not. The principle
applies TO every other pursuit as we'll as
to authorship.
Which will you decide to do,-,ro
about with eyes open, oreyes shut? The
wide-awake boy is known and apprecia.
ted, and so is The boy of small attain
ments and few ieas, bat the difference
is far more marked when they become
men.
Who does not know plenty of dull,
dozy- y-looking men, who will come In and
sit by your fire qalf an evening and new
er advance three ikeas. They have none
outside OF very limited range of daily
uruigery. They are like snails in their
shells, and all because they have gone
through life with their brows bent down
to the ground seeing nothing above or
beneath this little furraw. Heads up,
boys, and eyes open. Learn something
worth knowing every day Of your life,
and think it over at night, that you may
imprint it deeply on your memory
Working Farmer.
AN IRIsHMAN's WILL will and
bequeath to my beloved wife Bridge,