The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-08-22
NAMES OF NEGROES.
Curious Nomenclature That Originated
in the Old Plantation Life.

Curious Nomenclature That Originated
in the Old Plantation Life.
Of course, on every plantation there
were several negroes of the same name,
and the negroes, who are apt at such
things, used various and peculiar so
briquets to distinguish them. On my
fathers place there was an Taller
Liza, an Black Liza and an Pop Eyed
Liza an Tinker Big Jake, Tinker Lit
tie Jake and Tinker Knock Kneed
Jake. There were in one family three
generations of Bens, all possessed of a
mental or physical infirmity. The old
man, who had been kicked in the head
by mule, was crazy. He spent his
days and pretty nearly all his nights
standing under a broad China tree
preaching of the judgment day. He
was Tinker Fool Ben. His son, mid
die aged man, afflicted with an ulcer
that made him lame, was Tinker Hop
PIN Ben. The grandson who trem-
bled with the palsy and besides was
simple minded, was Tinker Chilly
Ben. Though able bodied, he was
never required to do any work and
wandered about the place without let
or hindrance.
At the close of the war a large ma
iority of the southern negroes assumed
the name of the family to which they
belonged, getting it fearfully twisted
sometimes, as, for instance, Grim for
Graham, Buskey for Arowbuski, etc.
Some went back in search of names to
their former owners in Virginia or
Carolina, who had lost them either
through debt or raised them to be sold
to the negro Spectator, who brought
them further south to be sold again to
work the cotton and rice plantations.
In this way you will now find the
grandfather of family bearing the
name of his old master in Virginia,
his son that of his owner at the close
of the war, while the grandson as
sumes some fanciful name suggested
by circumstances. So know an old
man calling himself Jim Sanders. His
son is Jim James, Jr. There is not nor
ever has been a Jim James, ST. His
son, again, is Jim Grandson. Upon
the plantations you still occasionally
come across the once familiar names
of Sambo, Cuffee, Diua.i, Sukey, ETC.,
but very rarely even there Grandi-
sons, Mortimers, Leilas,, Nathalies,
ETC., have taken their places.
Bible names, with explanatory pre-
fixes and suffixes, are great favorites
among the devout portion of the ne
gro community. The man who works
my garden is King David Jonsing.
My woodcutter is Rev. Solermon
Wiseman, who, like St. Paul, does not
disdain with his own hands to min
lister to his necessities. Besides these,
number among my acquaintance
Rev. Simon Surrender and Holy Tab
ernacle. Brother John the Baptist
Tubbs. Among the more secular are
Mr.. Jack Hyena and Prince Albert
Hardtimes, happy equality between
the aristocrat and the plebeian. The
lusty young negro man who. with
Webster's spelling book and a hickory,
teaches the colored idea how to shoot.
chosen the name of Professor Sam
Cape of Good Hope. A black vulcan,
hammering sparks from his anvil,
dubs himself Sampson Lightning. The
butchers boy, who comes whistling
into the yard with his basket upon his
arm and has face as black as ebony,
answers to the name of Ivory Temple.
A little colored female tramp from the
country, who comes to me once
week, totin' bundle of ligtherd on
her head, which she offers to ex-
change, announces herself as Miss
Annerlizer Purse. An empty purse,
evidently, for she never fails to wind
pthe trade by asking: ''Aint yer got
nuthin' feat yer kin give mea"-Cor.
Philadelphia Times.