The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1890-07-24

John, johnson; and of William, Wilson.
Then the various colOrs were brought into
| requisition; and accordingly White. Black,
Green, Brown and Red Cor Rufus) appeared
on the parish registers; from which such
names as Whitelock, Blackburn, Greening
and other derivatives were easily formed.
| Shortly after this, the numerous and i'm
common that they were obliged to ring the
changes by making some of them Smyth,
Smythes. Smithson, JOhnsmith, etc., the
original founder of the family and most of
his immediate descendants having been
smiths or workers in metals.
AS the communities grew more pOpulOus,
the various professions and seasons of the
year contributed more largely to family no.
menclature, and we find Spring, Winter,
Summer, Snow, Flowers. Usher. Gold
smith, Abbot, Fielding, Fisher, Parsons.
Clerk Tor Clark as it was frequently
written). and others inscribed on the page
of history. Even the animal creation found
their representatives among the human race
for the Birds, BacOns, Hogs, Robins,
Finches and Swallows were almost. as nu-
merOuS as their prototypes. Kings, Knights,
and Squires were also amply represented.
Nicknames, whether legalized or gratui
tOusly acquired, are not likely to 60 out of
fashion, so long as human nature remains
what it is. SchOolboys will nickname each
other, collegians will nickname their pro-
fessOrs. and soldiers will speak of their
commanders as Little Mac" 'Uncle
Billy" Fighting JOe," or what not. In
these days. however, it is not customary to
spread such titles upon official records, as
was formerly the habit, according to the
author of 1.-The Antiquities of Long Is
land"
In 1914, in the Dutch records, we have
John Peterson, alias friend John. In the
Newton purchase from the Indians dated
in 1926, one of the boundaries is ''by
Dutchman's land called Hans the BoOre,"
and in the Bushwick patent, dated Oct. II.
1867, one of the boundaries is John the
Swede's meadow" In 1896, in the Kings
county records, man is named, living at
Gowanns, as ''Tunis the Fisher" The COM
mon council of New York, in 1851. ordered
fish to be brought into the dock lover
against the City Hall or the house that Long
Mary formerly lived in," and in the same
year an order was passed THAT Top Knot
Betty and her children be provided for as
objects of charity"
The explanation of this custom in many
cases. was that the person in question
either had no family names, or had forgot
ten them, so that the use Of their generally
accepted nicknames became a necessity.
So numerous were the Smiths living upon
Long Island, that it was thought necessary
to distinguish the various original families
by some peculiar name. Thus we have the
Rock Smiths, the Blue Smiths. the Bull
Smiths and the Weight Smiths still in exist
ence. Nor is the practice OF applying sug
gestive nicknames gone out of fashion in
this year of grace. 1890; for any citizen who
achieves prominence by any special eccen-
tricity or hobby, whether it be in speech.
action or habit. is almost sure to acquire
the celebrity of some appropriate nickname,
which not unfrequently adheres to his pos
terity. for some generations. with the te-
nacity of burr or savage dog.
CharlestOwn Prison, Mass. F. j. G.