The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1893-07-28
HARTFORD HISTORIANS MEET
HOW PLACES WERE NAMED.
HISTORY OF ABINGDON ACADEMY.


Reported for The Egis.
The Hartford Historical Society met Mt the
Court House, last Saturday. Vice President
A. f. Galbreath presided, with Mr.. Albert r.
Silver Secretary.
Mr. james McCurdy presented to the society
Il stone implement, supposed to have been
fashioned by the Indians and used as a knive
in skinning animals
MIR. s. G, Boyd of the York bar, delivered an
interesting address on 1.-THE Origin and Signi-
tication of Local Names"
Local names Mr.. Boyd said, show the pecu-
liarities of those who gave them. The french,
Spanish and Portuguese explorers, dominated
by religious influences, generally gave sacred
names or the names of saints to geographical
objects The English and Americans give the
names of individuals whom tney wish 10 ao ih;r
kind are more enduring than monuments OF
marble The Indians never named objects IN
nature after their chiefs but from some
stance, the word Wyoming, applied TO the
beautiful vale in Pennsylvania. means extern
sive flats. The State of Wyoming, therefore,
has been misnamed, for it is mountainous in
The English and German explorers strong
in their attachment for home, gave home
names to local objects e-
Among the Indian names are Patapsco-
back water; Monocacy-large bends; Monon-
gahela-hiyh banks tumblng down; Shenan-
doah-spruce stream; ohio Is only part OF the
name, Ohio-pequan being the entire lame
meaning the stream that abounds IN white
Sierra Leone, or Lions Range, along the
coast of Africa, was so named by the Portu-
guese on their early voyages, from the NUMBER
of lions which infested It. Mount Blanc means
white Cape Blanco, on the coast OF Africa,
means bare, blank, destitute OF vegetation:
Cape Verd-blooming with rerdure Vermont
green mountain; Piedmont-foot of noun
tain, When the Canary Islands were discov
cred a great many little wild dogs were 1ound
there. Hence the islands were called Canaries
from CAMS, a dog. MessopotaaImlla means tne
country between the rivers; Tioga-gateway-
Longfellow defines Minnehaha to mean laugh
ing water, but the real meaning OF the name
Is smiling water. Sault St. Marie means
Dance of st. Mary; Susquehanna-straight or
new stream; Chesapeake-water greatly
stretched out ; Observation-Disclosures; niagara
neck the term being applled not 10 tne ialis
but to the short neck of water between Lakes
Erie and Ontario, Quantico place OF hshlng !;
RappahannOck-curren returned Mes0ngo-
where we kill deer; Wicomico-where houses
are building; Alabama-thicket clearerS; Da-
kota means the same us our Plurlpus Cnum
one people composed OF many tribes. ILL.,
The Spaniards and Portuguese probably
gave sacred names for the purpose OF Impress
ing the heather. For instance we have Los
AngeIos-the angels: Corpus Christi-the BODY
of Christ. Columbus and his men called the
first land they saw San salvador, or Saint Saw
our. On his last voyage Columbus was caught
in Il terrible storm OIL the coast OF Central
America and despaired of seeing land. At last
he discovered IL cape and landing gave thanks
and called the cape Gracios Dios-thanks to
God
rises among the SHOWS of the Himalaya
mountains and flows through the dusty plains
below. Being cool and refreshing the natives o.
calling it the gift of God, or the Son OF COO =
The word Gauges means passing to heaven.
Hence the Indian mother throws her babe into
49, lef hat
the child'S soul transported TO heaven.
The naming of churches, too, by dlHerent
religious denominations is not matter Gl
chance, but men are influenced unconsclously
in the matter. The Roman Catholics, Protes-
tant Episcopalians and Lutherans often name
their churches for saints. Inc Metnoaists 40 40
their houses OF worship, as Zion, Bethlehein,
Pisgali, Nebo, Tabor, Hermon, &c. The Pres
byterians generally call their churches after
the localities in which they are situated.
The thanks of the society were voted 70 Mr..
Boyd for his excellent and Instructive address.
DR.. George w. Archer asked for lnforma-
ton concerning the names Dublin ana Hick-
DRY, in Hartford county, He said that there
was u tradition that at the former place there
ed the Double Tavern, or Double Inn, the
name being shortened TO Dublin. Others say
it was named Dublin by an Irishman.
With reference to the Hickory, an old gen.
tleman-Mr. Trmble-who lived to be 80
years old and who resided one mile from the
place told him that originally there was a
tavern ut the spot, kept oy man wnose VINE
was boss. Occasionally the old topers became
obstreperous and the old man could do moth,
ing with them. His wife, Jealous of the good
name of the hosiery, kept on hand number
of hickory withes and drove OFF the noisy
crowd. Consequently, when any of the topers
wanted to take drink they would speak OF
going TO the hickory"
Messrs. J. NJ. Street, and y. T. Silver were
appointed IL committee to prepare Il minute
with reference to DIR. David Harlan and Col.
f. II. Webster, recently deceased members of
DR.. George W. Archer read "History Of
Abingdon Academy, which eviuced great re-
search and is paper well worth preserving
as part of our local history.