Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1876-01-04

vs1tNN1XU NaAO sCu0SOuS1dy AOUUut
!. of the newspapersn to the effect thai
tho meaning st tie word "Idaho,n ia
solpe musical tongue Of other, is "Genl
of the NOuptAins.0 70 this is now I'D
ded, whether By authority or hot !
an unable to say, the curious asser-
ton that joaquin Miller claims to
have stood godfather to the Territory
- named. Il is almost . pity to spoil
) pretty fiction, > good joke, and any
mans claim to distinction all in one
breath, but | believe the truth to be
very nearly IS follows:
Ny eccentric friend, the late DR..
George NJ. Willing, was the first dele.
gate to Congress from the young min
ing community. At the time when the
subject of the organization Of the new
Territory was under debate he was.
q . matter Of course, on the floor Of
the House of Representatives. Vari
ous names had been proposed without
any seeming approach to agreement,
and the Doctor, whose familiarity VITA
Indian dialects was pretty well known.
was appealed to by some Of his legis-
lative friends for suggestion. One
Of them said: Something round and
smooth. now, with the right sort OF
meaning to it." Now it happened
that the little daughter of one Of these
gentlemen was on the floor that morn
ing with her father. and the Doctor.
who was fond of children. had jus
been calling her to him with. Ida. Lo
come aud see me-"
Nothing could he better and the vet
eran explorer promptly responded
with the name, "Idaho."
but what does it mcan!'
"Gcm Of the Mountains" replied tl.
qu'ck-witted Doctor, with a glance al
tile fresh face beside him, and the in
depreciation. like tho name, has stuck
to this day. DR.. Willing told me
about it at the time, or soon afterward.
with a most glecful appreciation o.
the humor Of the thing. and have Of.
ten heard him rehcarsc the story
WILLIAM q. SropbARp.
No. 434 Canal ST., New York, Dec
8, 1875
Your eccentric friend" was never
in Idaho, to the best recollection nf|
Those who first came here and opened
up the country. The first Delegate I"
Congress was Wallace, at ono ,ac
Governor Of Washington Territory, |
and afterwards Governor Of this Terri |
tory. joaquin Miller did run with the
Indians up in this country before its
settlement by the whites, and we tc-
lieve that wellinformcd citizens az
cord him The credit 81 naming il Ida
no. Whether he did is no matter.
Stoddard, the New York man. has
probably got things mixed up SOM.
way. DR.. Whitman, afterwards mnr.
dcred by the Indians at WalIa Walla,
was, in lk47, we believe. in Washing.
ton to aid in preventing the cession Of
Oregon to England. which would an.
dnubtedly have been done but for his
timely interview with Daniel Webster
in which he set forth tie vast extent
and wealth which would be Inst to the
United States by 50 doing. There
was some talk ut the time Of naming
the country Whitman Territory. Tie
story about "Dr. George n
Willing" is myth. And Furthermore.
although it is pity to spoil . pretty
fiction. ""Uncle George Baldwin ofthis
camp, says that he WAS born and raised
here, and was with Joaquin Miller
when thst long-haired poct;cai galoo,
named the Territory idaho" and that
II il SI,oshone word meaning Gem
Of the mountains, and that be ("Unclc
George,n) can whip tie man that says
Joaquin didn't, or thst lie wasn't with l.
him when he did, II that It doesn't {
lnsaD what he says It does. "I'ncle |
George was also tie secession Of the !
prl:ix Joaquin "a MilIer's. name. I
Miller was always playing some prac. |
lical Joke on hi& fellow mountain men.
until finally "Uncle George dubbed
bin "Jokiu' = Mixer. This sppoliation !.