Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-06-13
Educational Column.
CONDUCTED By GEO. L. WILLIAMS
-.- COUNTY SrP'r OF SCHOOLS.
DERIVATION OF THE NAMES OF THE

DERIVATION OF THE NAMES OF THE
STATES al
Maine is named after a province in
France.
New Hampshire for a county in
England.
Vermont is name derived from the
French, ''uerd mont, meaning ''Green
Connecticut takes the Indian name
Gifts river, Queaehstocut, which means
'.long"
Massachusetts, is so called from a |
tribe of Indians and bay on its coast, |
Sin country about the the
great hills
Rhode Island was named after a
small island in Providence Bay, which
was named after the Isle of
Rhodes.
New York received the name of the
Duke of York, brother to Chas. l.. to
whom grant of the province was
made.
New Jersey was so named after an
island in the British Channel, in hon
or of Sir Geo. Carteret, who had been
governor of that island.
Pennsylvania was named by Chas.
IL, in honor of William PENIS faith
er. The name signifies "Penn's
Woods.
Lord De la Ware, or Delaware, en-
tered Delaware Bay in 1910 and gave
his name to the bay, river, and state
The Virginias were so called in hon
or of Elizabeth, the Virgin Queen of
England
Maryland took the name of Queen
Mary, wife of Chas. L., of England.
The Carolinas were named for Chas.
II, of France, taking the Latin form Of
his name, Carolus.
Georgia has for sponsor George IL,
of England.
Florida was so called by Ponce de
Leon, both because of its appearance,
florida meaning 'sfowery,' and be-
cause he discovered the country on
easter Sunday, Pascua Florida, Cor
Spanish pasquas dc flores, feast of
fowers.)
Alabama is an Indian name. mean
ing :'here we rest
Mississippi is called after the river
of that name, signifying. "Father Of
waters"
Louisiana is named after Louis XII
v, of France.
Texas is a Mexican name, significa-
ton unknown.
Tennessee is the Indian name Of
"the river of the big bend" i. e., the
Mississippi, its eastern boundary.
Arkansas is from kansas" the In
dian for "smoky water" and the
French arc, chow"
Kentucky, from the Indian "Kan-
tuck-ee," means clark and bloody
ground" so called because it was the
scene of fierce struggles for possession,
between the whites and natives
Ohio takes the name of the river of
its southern boundary, signifying
beautiful" ...
The many Indian tribes living there
savethe title to Indiana.
Illinois is derived from the Indian
word Illini, or LEM, meaning "great
or superior men," The termination is
French.
The name Michigan is a contraction
of two Chippewa words which mean
''Great Lake"
Minnesota, OF Indian derivation
means ''whitish water"
Wisconsin means ''broad and rush
ing" The stream gave the name to
the state.
Iowa means tthls is the land"
Missouri, named from the river,
means muddy"
Kansas is named from its principal
stream.
Nebraska means 'sbroad and shall
low" or, 'low," first applied to the
river.
Colorado means "ruddy." The
name was given by the Spaniards to
the river on account of the color of
water.
Nevada means Snowy" Spanish
name bestowed on the mountain range.
California is named from the gulf
and peninsula south.
Oregon derive its name from it S
chief river.
Authorities for the above, Ameri.
can Encyclopedia, and Charles Ban
croft's ''Foot-prints of Time
A. I'll. l.