The Ketchum keystone. (Ketchum, Idaho) 1881-1884, 1882-12-29
ORIGIN OF "KEqCHUM.'
The Various Theories Advanced
as to the Origin and Signifi-
canoe OF Our Name.

aflous statements oelhg aHoat
as to the origin of the name Of this
grand central point in the Wood /
River region, would it not be well
to give the matter Some attention
| and settle what may cause our
, myriad SUCCESSORS, when it shall be :
the great interior city OF the contin-
emit, much doubt, study and research
to determine the actual and true /
derivation OF the same.
w. FL. Greenhcw, who came here
with the Postoffice of that name in
his vest-pocket, with instructions to
locate at or near tho mouth OF
Warm Spring Creek, asserts that it
was name selected by some clerk
| in the Postoffice Department in
Washington, and no one questions
Mr.. Greenhow's honesty Of purpose
Again Mr.. T. o, Clohecy AYERS that
the name was intended to perpetuate
the memory OF that great and good
man and Christian mule-skinner,
Dave Ketchum, and who would dare
10 say Mr.. Clohecy is not an honor
able man2 Yet when We reflect aud
] consider that these two eminent gen.
tlemen, advance pioneer merchants,
i partners, and intimate fiiende thus
, differ in their statements-no doubt
i honestly differ what have we to do
! with both statements other than
! reject them in toto. 1t won't do,
! and we must look further. Many
other theories and possibilities as
to derivation are circulated, have
q their day, and die a natural death
Not the least being that advanced
y by the sage and philosopher Sir John
Il Platt, who asserts it was q habit O
the aboriginal natives TO sit arounc
d the hot springs and capture minute
n animal life terminated from thu
10 unclean person, and remark con
= stantly in cultural tones Ugh
n heap catch EN-, and this getting t.
V. be common expression among
lr them, handed down froIl generation
III he deems it no more than reason
as able conclusion that they finally go
ct TO say, referring to going to th
of springs, come, go catch EN- G
or words to that effect. But we ca
h ut a blow demolish that theory,
.st the the venacular of the aborigln'
to was nothing Of the sort. 1t won
di- do John, although We admit Il
,at purity of your motives.
a Nor can we stop to consider Il
ew argument of what is known as Il
les Chinese theory, which is advance
& by certain renegade degraded pc
to sons of the Caucasion race, WI
ter seek to court the smiles of the y
ex merchants daughter which is th
Gut the name is derived from an aneie
at Chinese doctor, who came hitb
Ike via Behring straits with bundle
or wonderful herbs, said to cure all t
the Ills the red mans flesh was heir
and out OF gratitude they named t
ted Eplaee after him, 9 Ka Chung" rs
our is claimed it should yet be called.
and After considering the matter We
live much, burning midnight oil in
ice, searches, and bordering deeply
asst the hills as we searched for scr
pre- thing on which to construct a pla
old able theory of origin. We have c.
r. Guided the profound argument
vanced by the aged student I
site theologian, 9 Josaphus Baldbogg
and comes nearest to filing the
t IS This venerable patriarch, VII
aid fame rests mostly on the fact Of
nam lifelong habit of getting up IN
ness morning with his bat on, AYERS I
ssiul that the name is a modernism of
are term Sachem or chief; that
oxen place had in ages gone-by attal
two renown and significance as g
tion center or gathering point OF
ard, natives of the whole interior Ro
'ater Mountain country that tho G
% IN tribes all congregated here on ST.
tons occasion; that this was the cal
mem and abode Of the chief or Saeh'
elect; that from this fact the P
nited was known as the home or abod
: pur the Saehem, and for short
nre- natives resident and visiting, m
oring got to denominating the plae
ia adj the Sachem'B " place and as lei