, 1880-08-01

CurIositfes Of Place-Names in the
United States.

AA4H8L.
The atlantic for April, 1860, contained an
article (entitled Come 81 Chiama?') on the
names Of American towns. At that time
there were some 1000 places-cities, towns,
and villages on the census-return for 1850.
The 'United States Postal Guide" now con-
tains the names Of 9,3.5 postroflces. There
are only about half that number Of names for
use In distinguishing them. If mere nominal
differences be overlooked, where the variation
Is II the mode Of writing, us Flat Woods Va,
and Flatwoods, Pa, or the adding OF s
apostrophized, as Foster and Fosters,
the names would be less than half the
| places. The Postmaster General has there
| fore issued an official circular re-
questfng the use of the county names. But
for the 2, ,587 counties are provided only 1,455
names Some popular names are found In
half the States Of the Union.
Since the article Of 1850 much has been
done to correct the evil. There were then
one hundred and ttirtlteight towns named
Washington. There are now but tue7aty-stE
post-ofices so entitled. The same is true Of
other names then popular, that they have
been reduced in like proportion.
But the poverty of invention then COM
planned OF remains Many Of the names are
not names at all. They are simply appella-
tons. They might be borne by a ship, or q
horse, or locomotive with more fitness than
by a town.
For instance, all proper names Of persons.
The classic names which perpetuated the
founder or the founders favurit showed by
the grammatical termination what was
meant. Alexandria, or Antiochia, was the
city Of Alexander, or Anttochus,. Cnsarea,
the city Of Cesar. The name recorded fact.
It may be pretentiOus for Mr.. Smith or Mr.,
Dodge to call his new fnctory-village Smith
Smith, or Dodge is the real conditor 4rbis,
and has as gooa right to say SO as had MIN
rod or Belus.
But, if patronymics are Objectionable,
given names are more. so. The Postal
in this particular: Under the letter a alone
are more than thirty, beginning with Aaron
and Abel, and ending with Aubrey and Au-
ella.
AgaIp names belonging to a{ s9uatrtss f. tSs Of
sense OF calling town Europe, or America
or Andes, or Australia, or Italy, or Ireland
Yet this has been done repeatedly, as the
"Postal Guide shows. ...
petty places the names Of famous cities and
towns abroad. There Is one exception,
which is justi6able- OIL the ground that it
records fact-namely: that the settlers OF
the new town came from the old. THUS in
H2ot " s,ira p"9e corr,snandenf ;nformed ,ne
tI,at It IVA VAS Il the 81 corruDtion Of Neu SpeyersN ever ~
New Speyers,-from the famous Rlllneiand
city.
Scriptural names were once highly sig
,mann1 a',d u"I hacp,,a ~ disf3s stafn1 as wien
the good New-Eng glanders bestowed on their
children names taken at random from the
Bible, regardless whether. they were Of
If tne IL aT sssc nI tnwns 1 notob|v in st
tao ri, NY fro, ,ne,iern n l;taratre as Ivanhoe
9WaEarur MUn H;"hiand Kfarw Hnn inan ara
nos aso a1 there .is IS class of names which seem
borrowed fre@ thS Shsst-msSis wSsh hl] iif5 s SP
the Ra4SS se Of TIT EHTa % nns a suf hs as ke De
ons D,e, n,r u1,aa Sah n,osan ,n.;n1v for
tho ansm snunI fins I ind in the aPostal
Glide" @ Ambrosia, Aipharetta; Animosa;
AIeSsnd.ia3a 1.niSsoloia, A]PlS Bsts; ;;Ll Dsi
NnverIa y, u' PadnEn- 0,nro. 0ras Orei. There
Sp'elaai ars auaint a NAMES WIZ with meaning such as
Accident. RecEiesstown. Troublesome, Diff
cnit. Disputantas Discord, Antiquity, Agen-
I'D 1sf'' 4lGe 4oi11tn 1oliy fndmstrv Giad
'i 4nu!irous, ~ 1'tant Genv;t;r sf;rahife Nh
troI 0ye eGH" Fner"v T+;hertv 'Fffort Enmalitv.
Eminence' F .Tnstice' Enternrise. Modest Town.
Clear Grit. Sublimlty, Temperance, Tolerance.
to,tn nuu Ill Rnstu,.ssb,,re 9Msn, 1 Paw Down Con-
H3,nerr,,;t.. ,r.1soot- Rnrnrs+own
romnat;f1on Tnmnensafion coincidence. Con.
cerf ForJ,, Is represented hv Ansle, Acme.
hpfX' 1H1 ,nG uieCe1 C1noia oH,o atn erammar by Amo
a,Snr ~ Estn Snv} Ira. CeIa CANT Strata
Au'ol, .,n Eso' ,+1,',in.r,,, or.,oors ~ Tathe'
Mednsa Sf.u A'' sat;,rn ieres. Juno. Clio