The Globe-republican., 1897-02-18

NOMENCLATURE OF KANSAS Rlv-
ERS And COUNTIES.
Interesting Facts About Some Prom
inent Names.

By ]. c. JENNINGS, Cimarron, Kas.
In the typographical nomenclature of
their state the people of Kansas possess a
rich fund Of historical data, which, like
the Celtic geographical names of Europe,
may prove more enduring than monu-
ments of stone.
Among the names that designate the
various natural features and political di-
visions are those that perpetuate the
memory of the aboriginal tribes aud
members of tribes, chiefs, warriors, and
even women. The names Of many Ct the
streams which, in the language of the
savage are usually significant and
descriptive, record sOmefact or feature
prominent in the history or appaer-
ance of the object named.
While some names in Kansas of Indian
origin have given place to those from
other tongues, there are few states in
which greater percentage Of aboriginal
designations of prominent features exist.
Next after these are the names that re-
fer to the time of early settlement and
the men prominent at that date; and in
this respect the geographical names are
very fully representative-those of lead
ing pioneers and early settlers, and dis
tinguished men since the pioneer days,
fill to very large extent the place Of
imported local names of which the colo
nists of the Atlantic states made liberal
use.
Another feature of nomenclature is the
large proportion of political divisions that
bear names of men who gave their SER
vices and in many cases their lives to the
defense of their country.
The river from which the state de-
rives its title also gave its name to the
principal Indian tribe dwelling on its
banks, and occupying large portion of
the best part of the country now within
the limits of the state. Kansas, meaning
''smoky WATER" was usually spelled
kanzas until it was proposed as the name
of the state I'm 1854, when someone in
succeeded in misspelling it
and having the photographed Offenss
perpetrated to the present day. On
August 21et, 1854, Edward Everett Hale
speaks of it as ':the more fashionable
spelling of the few weeks past" Among
the various spellings which the ingenuity
of the early travellers and writers evolved
are Canceas, Cansez, KanseZ, Canvas,
OKanis, Canses, CaaZon, Kopza, Kasas
and Kanzans. Kau and Kaw are con-
fractions of the above, and have existed |
for hundred years or more.
The Arkansas takes its name from a
tribe which occupied territory on its
lower course. Its first form was Akansa,
but what 1t signifies is now past finding
out. 1t certainly has nothing to do with
the French arc, meaning bow.
Not long before Lieut.. Pike traversed
Kansas in 1906, portion of the Pawnes
tribe had separated from the main body |
and elected chief, aud the county with
in whose limits their village formerly
stood is now Republic county, and the
stream upos which they lived is now
the Republican river.
From the Ousash or Ouachage, cor
rupted to Usage, came the name Of an
other tribe which has been extended to a |
river, the upper course of which was
called by the French, who mined lead on
it's banks, la Rivere de la Marais des
Cygnes, ''the river of the marsh OF
swans The tradition is that the
French after passing up the Usage, above
the mouth of the Little Usage, oh
served that the marshes and slOughs of
this river contained numerous swans |
and for that reason bestowed the appel
lation it has since borne.
Neosho has various genealogical rem
lerings. The most satisfactory aud the
one most consistent with the appearance
of this stream is ''clear water" An In
dian account Of the origin Of the name
states that, ''About the beginning Of the
present century party Of Indians trav-
sling westward from the Missouri river
bad long been suffering for water, and
had come to stream after stream Only to
find them dry. AT length they came up
Oh a stream containing water. and in
delight at finding it they cried out, Ne
o-sho.' an expression which being liter
ally translated from the Dakotah Ian
guage means (Ne) water. (o-sho) stream
10, or in plain English, ''stream with wa
ter in it,
The syllable ne enters into numerous
river names. Nemaha is ''muddy river,'
md Minnesota, or more properly Meme
Yeah, il s'water.w WATER" that is spring
water, the stream being fed altogether
BY springs. Nescatnnga is corruption