Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-03-01
YANKEE DOODLE.
HISTORICAL FACTS IN REGARD TO
THE ANCIENT TUNE.
Synopsis of an Essay Read Before the
Historic Genealogical Society of Bos-
ton-Orisin of the Word yankee"
The Primary Expression.

Illogical society DR.. George II. Moore, OF
New York, was introduced to read an essay
on s'The Origin Of Yankee Doodle" The
tune be said, is familiar all over the known
world, and the phrase Yankee Doodle" Is on
the lips one time or another of all English
speaking people; but of the origin OF 1t few
people know anything.
In considering the question it is manifest
that there are two elements in 1t, one being
the meaning and derivation of the word
Yankee, and the other of the song and tune.
One explanation given of the word Yankee
dates back as far as 1713, when there was
farmer living at Cambridge named Jonathan
Hastings He was familiar acquaintance
of the college students of that period, and it
was reputed that he invented the word.
At any rate he used it constantly in the
presence of students and others as an adverb
to signify high degree OF excellence-for
example, "a Yankee good horse" Yankee
good cider" This use, it is said, the students
adopted, and after leaving college spread the
knowledge of it in places near and distant.
Its first appearance on record, so far as the
essayist knew, is of date 1725, when an ad-
vertiSement appeared of the sale of the effects
of an English gentleman in Morpeth, Eng
land. One item Of the list was, zone negro,
named Yankee" Many plausible sugges-
tons have been made, some in earnest and
some apparently in frolicsome spirit, that
the word is of Indian origin. By some it has
been traced to the Cherokee Indians and by
others to those Of New England. Among
those who manifest sincerity in this way the
essayist mentioned the author of history OF
the Moravian missionaries in 1918, writer
in the North American Review about the
same time, and Of more recent date, DR..
Trumbull, the philologist.
The theory is that yankee" is an attempt
Of the Indians to pronounce the word Eng
lish." The essayiSt held that these are mis-
taken judgments on the case and that the
writers have been misled by a resemblance,
real or fancied, in the sound of certain In
dian words. He held it to be impossible to
believe that the word is of Indian origin,
when it is considered that none of the early
accounts of the dealing of white men with
Indians, from the Fifteenth century forward,
make any mention of it. Neither Capt.
John Smith, nor the father of New England,
nor Roger Williams, nor john Eliot, nor
Hutchinson, nor Belknap ever appear to
have heard Of such suggestion.
The essayist found perfectly Ineligible
and natural explanation of the origin and
primary significance of the word in the
Dutch word of which the substantive form is
"jankern and the form of the verb '!janken"
The meaning of the verb is to grumble, to
snarl to quarrel, to scold; the meaning of
the noun is bowler, crier, a weeper, a
barker. As used it is expressive Of contempt,
derision, or objurgation. To call man
barker or bowler is equivalent or is exactly
the same as to call him dog, and in almost
all languages and among all nations such an
appellation is one Of disparagement and
abuse.
The essayist gives luminous account of
the rivalries, jealousies controversies, and
clashings which occurred in early times be-
tween the Dutch settlers of New Netherlands
and the English who inhabited New England
and had any occasion to deal with the Dutch
in any form. The feeling of antagonism and
contempt for the English colonists continued
long after the territory of New Netherlands
had come under English dominion, and, tEo
essayist added, that to this day in some OF
the families OF New York of ancient Dutch
origin, the Yankee is regarded with feeling
at least of distrust.
The word tanker and other words de-
rived from it are not, the essayiSt said, any
part Of the language of refinement among
the Dutch. The primary word is a low word,
used by the mob; it is slang of rather a vile
sort a gentleman might think himself JUS
titled in using it under great provOcation, or
amid very exciting circumstances, but it
would not be ordinarily part of his speech.
Various facts were given in the essay going
to show that in its early use, whether by the
Dutch or others, including the English at
home, the word Yankee was expressive of
contempt Accordingly it came very natur-
ally into service when, upon the occasion of
the assembling of an army near Albany for
a campaign against the French and Indians,
the New England contingent of troops APP
peared, and the New York troops and British
regulars felt disposed to ridicule these New
Englanders.
AS the essayist described the New England
troops they were indeed ridiculous lot, so
far as looks went. A little later, when they
bore the brunt of battle and struck the en-
envy his deadliest blows, that appearance did
not cling to them. But they came TO the
rendezvous without uniforms, wearing ali
sorts of outer garments, dyed Of various
hues. They were comparable only to the
army of Falstaf as to outside appearances.
Dr. Richard Shuckburgh, then resident in
Albany and later in New York, gave voice
to the camp feeling of contempt for the New
England contingent. He composed certain
verses of derision and adapted the air known
in England as 'Fishers Jign This tune was
printed in England for the first time, so far
as known, in 1850 The verses of the original
song are now unknown, but there can be no
doubt that they were the merest doggerel
They have been superseded and their sue
ceSsors have been superseded by others of
various merit. more than 700 in all, it is
said. But there is no particular set which
can be called distinctively the song Of
Yankee Doodle"
The word Yankee was a nickname Of de-
rision for New Englander long before the
revolution. The tune and the original words
antedata that period, and they We're intended
for ridicule. 1t is not probable that i'll the
Continental armies the tune was ever popu-
lar one with the troops. A collection of fife
music used in that army does not contain IT,
1t was tune Of British origin, and for a long
while played only by British bands When
the Second brigade marched out Of Boston
on the day of the battle of Lexington to the
relief of the First brigade of British troops,
they played yankee Doodle as they
marched.
The American musicians used it only ap-
pareutly by way Of retaliation. When the
British troops surrendered at Yorktown they
turned their faces away from the Americans
and looked toward the French troops La
favette observing this, ordered all the CONT
mental bands in his command 10 play
Yankee Doodle which was done with good
Will and as note Of triumph But after the
final victory the popularity of the tune as al