Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-12-11
TuckAHos hNo coHee.
Supposed Origin Of tho Namss-Not Trace-
able TO Indian Sources.

TUCKAHOE emu IO6ee.
Supposed Origin OF tho Names-Not Trace-
able TO Indian Sources.
To ne Editor of ne Dispatch;
Many Of your readers have read with in
terest tho comments IN your paper IN
relation TO the origin OF the names OF
Tuckehoe and Cohee. There are severai
different explanations given. One traul-
ton is that they were the original Indian
names Of the tribes living east and those
living west of the Blue Ridge; another
that they were the names OF the lndlsns
living above and below the head OK tho
tide coming up our principal rivers, ana
another that they were the names OF tue
tribes on the east aud west side OF lucka-
hoe creek, which Is the dividing line be-
tween the counties Of Goochland and Hen
rico. about ten miles above Richmond,
and which ethpties into James river along
the line of the first falls OF that stream.
None OF these explanations can be con-
Hdered ms sufiici snt or reliable. From the
best sources OF information in relation 20
the tribes of Indians inhabihng Virginia
at the time of her settlement there were
none who bore either Of these names.
THREE GREAT NATIONS.
Mr. Jefferson in his Notes on Virginia"
has given the most reliable account oil the
Indians before and at his day, as far as tho
most complete inquiry and investigation
could be made. He says that in 1907 that
portion Of Virginia from the sea-coast ana
from The Potomac 10 the most southern or
the streams leading into James river was
occupied by three great nations-the
powhatans, the Mannahoacs, and the
Monacans; that their languages were so
radically different that the interposition
of intprpreters was necessary for COM
munication Of one 20 the other, which
NAV be evidence of q different origin:
that these nations were divided
into tribes which spoke different dlaiects
OF the same language: that the PoWha-
tans numbered thirty tribes, the Manna-
hacs eight. and the Monacaus five. 1hey
were ell savages. subsisting upon hunting
and fishing, and occupied constantly IN var
with each other, aud the Mannahoacs ana
the Monacans combined together 70 Sc
cure themselves against the attacks OF tue
Powhatans. so much more numerous than
both together. The Powhatans occupied
all the tidewater portion OF the stite'
the Mannahoacs the region south OF me
Potomac and north of the james, aud the
Monacans the country south Of the james
in towards North Carolina. As the inc
between the first falls and the head
Of tide divided the Powhataus from the
other two combined In their league OF SELF
defence. many and desperate were the en-
pagements fought on this debatablo
ground. IA history repeats itself, tley
fought along the same lines along which
IN after times the Coniederates opposed
the march Of the Fedcrals on to Richmond
from the Potomac to the Appomattox.
NO SUCH NAMES.
Now among all these names of all these
forty-three tribes there are no such names
as 1uckahoe and Cohee. IL is a great pity
that some effort had not been made to per-
petuRte the Indian names, many OF whlch
are beautiful sonorous, and. musieAl.
Among the whole number Of forty-three
lust mentioned we can only number four
teen which now are used at all. A praise
worthy attempt was made when the Rich
mond and Danvile railroad was built TO
Give Indian names to the stations, ana
hence we have Powhatan, Mattoax, Chua.
Meherrn, Roanoke, and another. when
could not hold its own against the old
name of the place. Most of these indian
names would be handed down TO postefity
but for that disposition of our people. so
much ridicued by Europeans. to tack
or absurd name. such as "Tobacco-yille,"
Brown-town," Smith-ville," Jacks
burg" and "Snaps-ville."
post office recently established in Pow
hatan county has received the name OF tho
Mobemenco tribe of tho MOnacOn nation,
which, before the appearance OF the
whites. occupied the section Of the county
in which the post-ottioe Is established. We
conclude, therefore, from the traditions
received from the lips Of Revolutionary
survivors. that Of the people, whether
Indian or white, living in the region from
the Chesapeake 10 the head OF the falls OF
our virginia rivers, or rather those west
and those east of IuckahOe creek, which
enters the James at the falls. which eIten
above from hlChmOnd. those on the east
were called TuckahOes down to the Ches-
apeake, and those on the west called
Cohees as far back as the Allegheny. The
names Tuckahoe and Cohoe are not Of
Indian origin.
TYPICAL VIRGINIA MANSION.
The estate Tuckahoe, on Tuckahoe creek
or Iomer river, now the property of Mr::
Richard Allen, was once the residence OF
Thomas Mann Randolph, who married the
daughter of President jefferson, was in
Congress. and was Governor of tho Com
monweglth in 1919. The hOuse-a typical
oid-tlme Virginia manslon-occuples the
apex of conical bill, with the yard eI-
tending down to the track OF the Rich
mond and Allegheny railway. and the
house is easily seen from the windows OF
the passing trains. The view from the
front porch extends over the broad low
grounds Of the river and the creek 10 the
river and the southern hills beyond.
But the Indians who hunted over these
hills and spearod FISH IN tho falls and cas-
cados are all gone and their names almost
forgotten. Several Of their tribes were
permitted to remain in the land OF their
ancestors. The Pamunkeys were settled
at Indian Town. on the Pamunkey river,
the Nottoways on NOttoway river. The
latter were almost extinct when Mr.. Jeter-
son wrote his notes. The same fate awaits
the remnant Of the Pamunkeys. which has
fallen upon the settlement of emsncipated
negroes Of Richard Randolph at Izrael
Hill, in Prince Edward county. Their
number il gradually diminishing and those
remaining showing no Improvement.
The Monacans were a nobler and harder
race. hey went west at the approach Of
the white settlers. and Mr. Jefferson
thinks became Incorporated into the uS-
caroras. They left their name behind
them, now corrupted into Manuakln
town." near ferry OF that name on the
James. They were gone when King Will
liam and Queen Mary colonIZed 90 that
place those Huguenots who left France at
the revocation OF the Edict of Eantz.
They received grant twenty-five miles on
the south of the James and out one mile.
The island Sabot preserves the name OF
tho wooden shoe Of the French peasantry.
1t extended from Bernard to SALES creek.
Many Of their descendants with the French
names still remain. The name OF Matthew
Fontaine Maury has world wide reputa-
ton, and their pastor, Rev. James Marye.
is the lnesl ancestor of that well-known
Virginia family which has held some of
the highest Offices and positions IN the
State. The MichauX family is the only
one that retains any of the lands of the
original grant. WILLIAM PORE DABSEY.
The HOBBS Manager Replies.
RICHMOND, Va, December G, 1897.