The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-11-24

Negroes of the English Islands Whs
Bear Old EnElixh COgnomens.
New York Tribune

Speaking of the prospect of q third West
India island being added 10 the territory Of
me United States, an eX-Jamaiean said;
one thing that makes marked differ
enee between the jamaican negro and his
cogener In this country is the Jamaican's
pride of name. The same thing may exist
among the colored people elsewhere, but
l have never noticed IT.
or course. there are good many coll
ored people there who have no strict legal
right to any surname bat that fact only
adds to the pride Of those who can, If ne
cesSary. show certificates of birth inciud-
ing the words mis- wife And the interest,"
ing thing about it IS that there are negroes
mere and there on the island who bear
names which are borne by no living white
resident There used TO be Il few black
Snuttleworths, for instance, and they new
er seemed to lose sight of their Importance
as the only living representatives Of 4
white family that was prominent in the
English conquest OF the Island 240 years
ago. The fact that these particular relics
Of the shuttleworths had nc, a drop OF
Caucasian blood in Their veins made no
difference; they We're Shuttleworths--'an and
there are only a few Of us left
The way OF IL was this. II was the
custom of white settlers who bought new
~ imported slaves to give their own sur
names TO their purchases, leaving the ma
tive African name 10 serve first name
So the surname was common TO all the
slaves of one master. while the distinguish
ing name OF the individual, contrary to
what Is the rule among free races. was not
that its bearer brought with him when he
left his native land. There was no DIM
Guilty in telling whether n man named
Jones was white man or a black man in
those early days, because the immigrant
negroes all had African names-Cudioe
Quashee, Beniboe and so and the Gus
tom OF giving African first names 70 slaves
continued there until Il was displaced by
the facetious use of classical names. But
II Quashee's surname was Jones, IL was
because his first purchaser was named
n ava. sold
whom he had not bought direct from the
importer or to their children.
lone curious result Of this way of in
civilization is still TO be seen in Jamaica
or was until within the present generation
in the multitude Of the black Bogles in
so far as could learn. a single white man
there of that name. The reason of this Is
said to have been. in the large slave-.m-
named Paul and Andrew Boyle Whatever
negroes were. for any reason left in
stock after the B0gles had held one OF
their sales were named Boyle. The firm
of Rogle Brothers must have gone out OF
business at least a century ago, fer il IS
as long as that since the slave trade ceased
10 be legal. And yet I remember, when
was child, that NEGROES named Boyle
stu cherished the tradition that PAU was
the elder brother and the head of the
firm. and that It was more dfgnifed. there
fore. for Boyle 10 be christened Paul
than 10 be christened Andrew Once an
old white-woolled negro Of that name was
put into the witness box 70 testify about
Two sons Of his who had sot themselves
into trouble.
Counsel began his examination with:
names are Andrew and PAUL.
height. No sab beg you 10 correc'
dat. sab. Paul and Andrew. sah-not
Andrew and Paul