Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-07-06
TliE sTATEs' NAMEs.
The Statement Of their Origin
and ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Historical Facts.

At the recent meeting Of the Amer.
lean Antiquarian Society, Hamilton
B. Staples read a paper concerning
the origin of the names Of the States
of the Union. From among Other
facts are taken the following:
The name of California first origi
mated in the Imagination Of the author
Of Spanish romance. LAS Serges d.
Espplandian." Here the Island o.
California, where great abundance o.
gold and precious stones is found,
was described. The name was proba,
bly, given to the territory now EN-.
braced in this State by some of the
Spaniards with Cortez, who no doubt
had read the sensational romance.
Oregon was the name formerly given
to an imaginary river of the west.
Carver, an American traveller, men
tions it in 1863. In describing the
river he evidently COMPOUNDED it with
the Missouri, but the name was finally
-pplied to the present State of that
name.
New Hampshire was named from
Hampshire county, of England, by
John Mason, of the Plymouth COM
pany, to whom the territory was orig.
inally granted by the English govern
ment.
The State of Massachusetts, was
named from the bay of that namc,
The origin of the word Massachusetts,
is from the Indian 'massa," great,
"wadehuash," mountains or hills, and
tie sufix let, meaning at or near.
There are many conflicting opinions
concerning the origin Of the name
Rhode Island. Some believe it to have
been named from the ancient island
Rhodes and others from the Dutchie
Ruode Eylandt, signifying red island.
1t might also have been called Rhode
Island or Rhodestead Island, being
near the harbor.
Connecticut spelled in an Indian
lialect, Quin-neh tukqut, signifying
'land-on a-long-tidal river"
New York is named from the Duke
II York, the original grantee. In the
,harter he was given all the land
from the west side of the Connecticut
liver to the east side of the Delaware
bay"
The territory of New Jersey was
given by royal charter to Sir George
Jarteret and Lord Berkeley. Carteret,
n England's great civil war, had
oravely defended the Isle OF Jersey,
n the British channel, and his new
Djssessions in North America we're
named in oommemoratiou of this
fact.
Pennsylvania was founded by Will
lam Penn, and it is the only State
named from its founder. The suffix
'sylvania," signitying forest land. I"
IS descriptive of the general character
ot the country.
Three counties lying southeast of
Pennsylvania were formerly territories
Of that State. In 170l they were
granted a separate charter and named
Delaware. after Lord De Lawar, who
first explored the bay in which the
river empties.
Maryland was named from Queen
Henriette Maria. In the charter the
name in Latin was Terra Mariae,
land of Mary or Mary's land
Virginia was called in honor Of
Queen Elizabeth, who was known as
5he virgin Queen.
The territory of the Carolinas was
yranted to the French settlers in
1868, and was named after Charles l
IF France.
King George II of England was the
sponsor for the Southern State of
Georgia.
The name of Maine was given to
hat State descriptively since in the
original charter it was considered
the Mayne Land of New England. !"
Vermont was also a descriptive
name, being formed from two French
words, verdi and "mont," meaning
green mountain.
Kentucky is from Kentuckee, an
Indian ShawnoesO word, signifying
the head of a river" or long river.
Mississippi is from the Indian
Messyseedee, meaning not the father
Of waters" but the great water"
Colorado is named for the Rio Col
1rado river. The name is of Spanish
origin, and means rudy" or red, :"
'eferring to the color of the water of
hat river.
Tennessee is supposed to have been
named from Tenassee, one Of the chief
villages of the Cherokee Indians,
which was located on the banks of the
Tennessee river,
The name Minnesota is from the
Indian Minisotah, meaning "colored
water"
The State Of Nevada is named from
,he Sierra Nevada mountains, which
n turn are said to be named from the
Sierra Nevadas of Granada.
Nebraska takes its name from the
Nebraska river. The name is OF In.
dian origin, meaning shallow river"
Kansas is also named from its prin-
cipal river. A tribe of Indians, for
nerly In that locality, were known as
The Kansas or Kaws, and the State is
named from them.
The origin of the peninsula State of
Florida is told by historians as follows:
In 1912 Ponce de Leon sailed from
France to the West in search of the
fountain of youth" He first saw
land on Easter day." and on account
Of the richness and quantity of flowers
found on the new possessions, he called
it Florida.
Alabama is named from an ancient
Indian tribe of the Mississippi valley.
The name itself signifies there we
rest"
Ohio takes its name from the river
on the southern boundary. The word
is from the Wyandotte Indian dialect,
o he-zah, and means something
great