The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1874-04-16
Name af the United States and their
SIgnIllcatiOns.

w ntt y Ill Il naIne!' MUCH, every
way. 1t may be possible for Podunk
or Grubtown to become great and fa-
nous, bat not until the fools who in
fiicted the name on the innocent
place have either died off or been out
numbered by men who are wise
enough to give the place n more
seemly appellation. Some man, Gu
riOus enough to engage in it, and
skillful enough to do it well, will, we
hope, undertake the preparation of a
work giving the origin, history, AMI
meaning OF the names of persons,
places, and things generally.
The Indians were perhaps wiser
and truef In the matter Of names
than their white brethren. What
noble and euphOnias names they have
given tothe rivers, lakes, and noun
tains! What can be finer than On
tario, Erie. OsweeO. Toronto, Cayuga,
OwascO, Ohio, Missouri, Rappahan-
mock, Allegheny, Dakota, etc, and
each has a meening. LongfellOw has
wOrthily CrystaliZed not few Indian
names and given them setting i'm
the fine gold of his own genius, and
sent them down the stream OF inn
mortality together. So long as Min
nehaha (Laughing Water } makes
music by night, or the soft rainbow
spans the beautiful cataract by day,
the unsung poetry of the Indian, and
the glowing numbers OF his white
brother, shall not be forgotten.
We were riding one fine day in
June through the town of Bloom
field, in Connecticut, and coming to a
place which was specially enchant-
ing for its beautiful scenery and the
abundance of its flowers, the thought
occurred TO us, "On this spot the per-
son should have stood while think
ing Of fitting name for this town,
instead of Win-tOn-bury, the terri
tory and the name being originally
taken from the three towns of JPhl-
dsor, Farming-tOn and Sims-6,0y.
On mentioning this thought in the
family of Hon. Francis Gillette, n
knowing and pleasant glance passed
around the group, and we were in
formed that the name of Bloomfield
was suggested to our friend on the
spot where it had occurred to us, and
on his motion it was accepted by the
people of the town. But to the names
of the subjects of the States.
New Hampshire was named from
Hampshire County, England. 1t was
formerly called LacOnia. 1t was one
of the original thirteen. Adopted
the Constitution in 1888.
Vermont - from the French Ie,f
Mont, signifying Green Mountains
aided to the extent OF her ability in
the war Of the Revolution, but failed
to be called one of the thirteen, not
having adopted the Constitution un-
til 1871.
Massachusetts, is the Indian name
for The country around the great
hills" This State and Virginia
were specially English colonies, and
took the foremost place in the open
ing of the war of the Revolution.
On its soil the first battle was taught.
Adopted the Constitution 1888.
Rhode Island, the beautiful little
State, owes its name to the Island
of Rhodes, i'm the Mediterranean,
which domain it il said to greatly
resemble. 1t was the last of the
original thirteen that adopted the
Constitution, which occurred in 1890.
She was such Il stickler for liberty
and freedom from restraint that she
saw, in the new Constitution squinted
toward monarchy hence she hesit-
ated.
Connecticut, from the Indian
Quonch-ta-Cut, signifying " Long
River" One of the original thirteen.
Adopted the Constitution in 1888.
New York was named for the
English Duke of York and Albany,
who, sent an expedition to America,
which landed at the little Dutch
town of Manhattan or New Amster-
dam and penetrated as far into the
interior as Albany. His expedition
honored their patron by giving the
Dukes title name to the colony and
to two Of the principal towns
Adopted the Constitution as one of
the original thirteen in 1888, and
was the national seat of govern
ment when Washington was Presi-
dent.
New Jersey, so called In honor of
Sir George Carterct, who was Govern
or of the island of Jersey, i'm British
Channel. One Of the original thir-
teen. Adopted the Constitution
1887.
Pennsylvania, everybody knows,
means "Penn's wood" and was so
called after William Penn, its origi-
nal Quaker owner. The cradle of
the first Congress and of the Decla-
ration of Independence and the Con-
stitution of the United States, which,
as one of the original thirteen, she
adopted i'm 1887.
Delaware, after Lord De Ia Ware.
One Ofthe immortal thirteen. AdOp-
ed the Constitution in 1887.
Maryland, after Henrietta Maria,
Queen of Charles First of England.
One of the thirteen. Adopted the
Constitution In 1888
Virginia, the oldest of the States,
and one of the original thirteen, was
so called in honor of Queen Eliza
beth, the "Virgin Queen" in whose
reign Sir Walter Raleigh made the
first attempt to cOlOnize that region.
She adopted the Constitution i'm 1888.
The Carolinas were originally one
tract, and were called "Carolana" af-
ter Charles the Ninth of France.
North Carolina, one of the thirteen,
adopted the Constitution in 1889.
South Carolina, also one of the orig
inal thirteen, adopted the COnstitu-
ton in 1888.
Georgia owes its name to George
the Second of England, who first es-
tablished colony there in 1882. This
State, the last in the list of the cold
Thirteen" but not the last to adopt
the Constitution, took her place in
1888.
The following have been erected in
to Territories and admitted as States
since the adoption of the Constitution
by the first fourteen States.
Kentucky is the Indian for "at the
head U the river" Admitted as
State ID the Union I'm 1902,
Tennessee is the Indian for "the
River of the Bend"-i. e., the Missis-
sipi, which forms its western hound.
ary. Admitted in 179G.
Ohio means "beautifnl." Admit
taI 90 d Gtata In IQ0Q