Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-06-03
THE WORD BUCKEYE.
An Interesting History of the Emblem
of Nativity of the Third
Commonwealth.

The interest concerning Ohio and her
coming centennial has awakened in
quiries in everything connected with
the state. The idea of giving to all Wis
itors buckeye as a souvenir has very
naturally led to the inquiry, "Why are
Ohio people called Buckeyes ?" A
brilliant after-dinner speech by the cele-
brated DIR. Daniel Drake, the eminent
physician and botanist of the Ohio val
ley, at public dinner, given in Cincin
natl on the occasion of her forty-fourth
anniversary is so appropriate and so
happily expressed that no improvement
can be made upon it. DIR. Drake said:
"Why are the natives of our valley
called Buckeyes? and to whom are they
indebted for the epithet? Mr.. Presi
dent, the memory that can travela few
years into the last century, and it only,
can supply the answer. AS the buck
eye has soft wood, and is peculiar to
the valley of the Ohio, later emigrants
to both banks of the river thought it
fit emblem for the native children,
whom they found untaught and awk-
ward, amusing themselves in the shade
of its luxuriant foliage, or admiring the
beautiful dyes of its ripening nuts, and
Buckeye was, therefore, at first, nick
name-a term of derision. Those very
children have, however, raised it into
title of honor! They can have no high
er eulogy.
''The tree which you have toasted,
Mr.. President, has the distinction OF be-
ing one of a family of plants, but a few
species of which exist on the earth.
They constitute the genus Aesulus of the
botanist, which belongs to the class
Heptandria. Now the latter, Greek
phrase, signifies seCen men; and there
happens to be exactly seven species of
the genus-thus they constitute the sew
en- wise men of the woods; in proof of
which, NAV mention, that there is not
another family on the whole earth that
possesses these talismanic attributes of
wisdom. Butlthis is not all. OF the
seven species, our emblem-tree was dis
covered ldst-it is the youngest of the
family, the serenth son! and who does
not know the manifold virtues of sew
enth SON
Neither Europe nor Africa has a
single nGtire species of aesculus and Asia
but one. This is the aesculus hip
pocastimum or horsechesnut. Nearly
800 years since minister from one OF
the courts of western Europe to that of
Russia found this tree growing in Mos
COW, whittier it had been brought from
Siberia. He was struck with its beauty,
and naturaliZed 1t in his own country. 1t
spread with astonishing rapidity over
that part OF the continent. and crossing
the channel, became one of the favorite
shade-trees of our English ancestors
"1ill the time when the buckeye tree
was discovered, slow, indeed, had been
the progress OF society in the new world.
With the exception OF the revolution
but little had been achieved and but
little was in prospect. Since that era
society has been progressive, higher
destipies have been unfolded, and re-
active buckeye influence must assist in
elevating our beloved country among
the nations OF the earth.
From the very beginning of emigra
ton it has been a friend to the new
corners Delighting in the richest soils,
they soon learned to take counsel from
1t IN the selection OF their lands; and it |
never yet proved faithless to anyone
who contided in it.
When the first log cabin was to be |
hastily put up the softness and lightness |
OF Its wood made 1t precious; for in |
those times Iaborers Were few and axes !
once broken in hard timber could not |
be repaired. 1t was, moreover. of all |
the trees OF the forest, that which best /.
arrested the rife bullets of the Indian. |
when the infant Buckeyes came |
forth, to render these solitary cabins |
vocal and make them instinct with life |
cradles were necessary, and they could /
not be SO easily dug out OF anv other /
tree. Thousands OF men and women. /
who are now active and respectable |
performers on the great theater OF West |