The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1880-10-01
Puritan Names.

Curiosities of Puritan Nomenclature"
occurs number of readable passages.
1t is in truth study OF the rise, history
and decline OF several customs in the
matter Of nomenclature, and Is both his
torical and critical in its character. 1t
consists Of prologue, two chapters and
an epilogue. We make some extracts
from it. In reference TO the Puritani-
cal names of Praise God Barebones and
Zeal of the Land Busy, there is very
enter lining chapter. 1t is to the Pres
byterian clergy that the author assigns
the origin OF this odd fashion in nomen-
clature. Among the names given In the
early days Of the fashion there are found
in parish registers Stedfast, Renewed,
Safe on High, Rejoyce, Muche Mercye,
Sin Denye, Fear Not, Sorry for Sin, No
Merit, Accepted and Content. With re-
spect TO the last name, given by the
Rev. Hugh Walker TO his daughter, the
author rays:
81 think the father ought to be whip
ped most incontinently in the open mar
ket who would infict such name on
an infant daughter. They did not think
so then"
The Puritans were not alone in their
fancy for strange names, and in another
part of this chapter Mr.. Bardsley makes
an interesting collection of "curious
names not Puritan"
The epilogue treats of Double Chris
tian Names-their r Sc and Progress"
and good deal that is amusing is gath
cred together in this part of the work,
as also in that part of it which relates
to American eccentricities. Concerning
the latter subject we read:
English Puritanism must stand the
guilty cause of such modern humor, not
to say extravaganza, in American name
giving. Puns compounded OF baptismal
and name and surname are more popu-
lar there than with us. Robert New
has his sons christened Nothing and
Something. Price becomes Sterling
Price; Carol, Christmas Carol; Mixer,
Pepper Mixer; Hopper, Opportunity
Hopper; Ware, China Ware; Peel,
Lemon Peel; Codd, Salt Codd, and Gen
tie, Always Gentle. /; used to be said
of the English house of commons that
there were in it two Lemons with only
one Peel, and the register general not
long since called attention, in one of his
reports, 10 the existence of Christmas
Day. We have, too, Cannon Ball, Dunn
Brown, Friend Bottle (London direc-
tory and River Jordan, not to mention
two brothers named jolly Death and
Sudden Death, the former of whom fig
ured in trial lately as witness. The
Times, Of December 7, 1878, announced
the death of Emperor Adrian, local
government board member. Neverthe-
less, the practice prevails much more
extensively across the water, and the
reason is not far to seek"
We all remember the story of the lisp.
ing woman, who, when asked by the |
clergyman the name of her babe, tried to |
say Lucy, sir" but made it "Luthy,
thir ,"The clergyman, believing that she
said "Lucifer," straightway took mat
ters into his own hands, saying: George
Washington, baptize thee," etc., so
that the poor little girl baby was actu-
ally named for the father of his country.
Mr.. Bardsley tells story not unlike it,
rs follows:
"Not very long ago q child was
brought to the font for baptism. What
nameP' asked the parson. john was
the reply. Anything elseP John
aonly,' said the godparent, putting in an
h where it was not needed. John
Honly, baptize thee,' ETC., continued
the clergyman, thus thrown off his guard.
The child was entered with the double
name"
"ln the registers of marriage of Hall
fax parish church December l, 1881"
says the book, SIS the name OF witness,
Charity H. He-it was he's the
third child ofhis parents, two sisters
having preceded him. His full baptis-
nal name is And Charity and in his
own marriage certificate his name is 80
written. In ordinary affairs he is con-
ent with the Charity alone. (NoteS and
QuerieS, August l6, 1879. This could
lot have happened previous to Queen
Anne's reign. Acts-Apostles Pegdcn's
will was administered upon in 1865.
His four elder brothers bore the four
Evangelists' names. This, again, could
lot well have occurred before the eigh-
eenth century was in"
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