The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1875-04-01
'sPETER sN00Ksps ON NAMES.

BABEL, Mafch, 1910.
DEAR JOURNAL.-In full face of
the risk efimputed levity, 1 have not
=hesitated TO amuse myself in the be-
tween-times of professional cares by
culling from scatte,d sources a score
or two of odd sufnames; indeed, I
have almost mania-for these eccen-
trio appellatives, and am as much
pleased with one of ofeztraordinary ab-
surdity as Agassiz MAS with a fresh
fossil or General Andrews with a new
bean. 1t has ever been a matter
Of great satisfaction to, me that my
own name, though not singular, was
rare enough for distinctness and desti-
tute of all base for punsters' tricks {;
yet my zeal for oddity in this respect
has led me to christen my three child
:ren Hashabiah, Bukkiah and JOSH
bekashah, the scripturalneas Of which
should vouch> for the high moral tone
my literary efforts always assume.
The origin of many family names
is undoubtedly lost to us forever; but
for others the origin is sufficiently
evident. Certain archives, several
centuries old, preserved in one of the
free cities of North Germany indicate
that up to that period men were known
chiefly by chyistian names, Of John,
Peter, etc., but by order of the munie-
ipal authorities the citizens were
registered (for local purposes) and the
name Of each persons occupation, M
his former place of residence, or of
his family estates, was appended to
his given name to favor accurate dis
elimination. Thus Hans, the tailor,
probably became Hans Schneider,
etc.
Not little that is curious may be
observed in the names of the emf:
grants to this country from Europe,
and it is notorious that in many cases
they change their names for some real
or fancied adaptation to their environ
ment CHATS Huxley)-:a circumstance
that often much embarrasses Euro.
peans in searches after American
kinstolk. An amusing instance go1
this is probably new to most Of your
readers-exceptionally we'll l.. read
though they be. A German named
Feuerstein came to America, and: set:
tling in Ohio, near some of his coun
trymen, was told by them that in or
der to Americanize himself as thor
oughly as possible he had better alte,
his name, and forthwith assist.
ed him to translate it literally
into Flint. By this name he
went several years, until another
"fitting" brought him further wes
and near certain other Germans, who
(supposing his name was the German
word Fzinte, meaning ~ musket," ad
vised him to translate it into English
whereupon he assumed the name o
Gun! Whether his enterprisinl
| friends have carried him to anothe
stage does not yet appear.
What regiment we could arm
and equip with the martial name
that have fallen to people by one O.
other chancel We have not onl,
Gun and Cannon, but Shot and Shell
Bullitt and Ball, to supply our troop
with modern agents of death, but W
have also Sword and Spear. AM
Shield and Buckler, while two gal
liant officers now in the U. S. Army
furnish our Drum and Guard. Th
commoner titles Of Flag, Officer, Ma
]jor, etc., (wout Bangs DO also?) will
+ easily complete our equipment.
f.: Looking over some English medica
Journals lately, I was gratified in m,
eccentric guest by finding a numbe
Of rarities. How felicitous, for in
i >stance, is the advertising card f.sH
J. Stump, maker Of artificial s:,imbas
And DR.. Tbos., Sanctuary, 4 what. b e..
refuge for the afflicted y. If .Dr,,.E
w. Gathergood is to be, suspected q
On eye 70, the main chance how pr
eminently benevolent should: be: hi
neighbor1 6cattergood! Indeed, Goo
is . name by itself; and the distir
guished DR.. Mason Good, who dourisl
edforty years ago in England asseho
ar and scientist, may, be fairly saida
have realized his patronymic in msl
ing . name for himself By the Wal
BrioacBrac being I'll the rage jul