Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-10-03
How They SPELL HOCKESSlN.


Hockessin, the name of one OF Unclo
Sans postolilces, is Bituated III the
extreme northern portion of New Castle
county, in the State of delaware, and
within one mile OF the twelve le''
circle that has been establish ed recently
between Pennsylvania and Delaware.
The village, of 400 population, is
located in vast basin rather than u
valley as we SO often hear it termed,
and there is good evidence to show that
this basin was ut one time lake with
a length OF about mile and width Of
less than half mile. On all sides Of
the village there are good.sized hills
with steep inclines, with but one out
let, the width of which at its narrowest
point is but few yards, and through
this outlet (which was evidently made
by degrees as the lake drained away
all tine water courses coming into tho
basin are concentrated to find their
way to the Delaware River, then to
mingIc their waters with the ocean.
While the word Hockessin does not
seem to be hard one to pronounce,
or to spell correctly, there exists much
difficulty on the part OF correspondents
in getting it written correctly, owing
to the fact that they do not understand
the correct pronunciation.
lockessin is an Indian word and
with the Indians signified "Hill Of
Oaks" Its correct pronunciation may
be set down as Hoc-k es-sin. With these
syllables born in mind there need BIZ
none OF the troubles that appear below.
| A list kept for few weeks at the
postotliue tells the whole story of the
correspondents troubles. and in some
of the cases it would seem aswonder
| that the epistles ever reached their
| destination.
The following 26 efforts succeeded in
getting the two first syllables, but
spoiled the word in their attempts at
| the last syllable: Hockesen, Hockesit
| IIookessine, Hookessid, Hockessnd,
| Hockesein, Heckeesim, Hockessam,
HooKesian, Hockessington, Hocltessus,l
bookcases, Hookessel, Roclessive,
hookessore, Hockessm, Hockessiom,I
Heokeson, Hooksssing, Hockesson,
Hockessein. Hockessione, Hockession,
Hockessn, Hockesin, Hockessen.
Evidently the soribes of the above,
addresses were at loss about the last
and most important syllable, and not
Ibeing able to settle on "sin, /" Con.
oluded to wind up the word with an
old thing, notwithstanding they did 80
we'll in the outset.
In the next list, We have the pro-
nunciation fairly we'll, although the
writer's spoiled the name Immediately
after the first syllable. There are 20
OF these as follows: Hoohesen, Hochis.
sin, Hochession, Hookhession, Hook.
hesson, HockheEsin, Hocksion, Hooksn-
son, tlockensson, Hockssin, Hockissin,
Hockisin, Hooksin, Hockission, Hookees-
sin, HooKisson, Hocksesson, Hockinson,
Hockasin, Hpokinsin, Hockisn, HooaHon,
iocasson, HonksUn, HocossIn, Hoces-
sin, Aocesin. Hocessen, Hooession.
Following Is list of 26, who got the
first syllable, hut utterly failed after
accomplishing that much: Hookorson,
Hockelssin, Hockeckessin, Hoolsersap.
Iluckerin, Hockems, Hockkisville, HOOK,
eness, Hochhessian, Hockharen, Hook
lin, Hockemin, Hockipin, Hocktown,
Hockepin, Hochkisson, Hochkessin,
Hooass, Hoepesson, Hocosson, nocostle,
, Hoccesian, Huooessin, Hoccosion, Hor
easel, Hooastin.
The majority of persons seem DESTROYS
of writing this word as Ho-kessin, after
the style of Hokesen, Hokeasen, HoKes7
sion, Hokesson, Hokessin, HokissiN
Hokasan, Hckesing, Hokissin, Hokeso
Hokassen, HokisBen, Hokesan, Hookes
I
, Hookessin from the remaining 20. "Ho'j
addresses that follow: Hoeckessinl
!, Hoskview, Hoeskesam, Hokessj. Hoss1
sion, Hokesom Hokasam, HokensinJ
Hokyom, Hohkessiu, Horhessin, Horlsl
som. Horteson, nornhessin, Hovokesin,
: Houkessing, Howkeing, Hobkkessin,
| Hobessen, Hopkinton, Hosein, Hos.
! seclSin. Hoskessn, Hosasken, Hotch.
/ kiseu. Thirteen letters came along with.
i out the use OF the TO-" but "Hac''
was used in its stead, as follows
, Haokemesun, Haokkisico, Hackessin,
Haokession, Haoksisen, Haokessin,
Haokersin, Hacoesson, Haccesen,
i Haohessin, Hacheaeu, Hacason, Hac-
4 nessin.
! And now while almost every vestige Of
the word has disappeared, we find thai
D IA still hold on to the letter 'sH' as q
: commencement and made use Of it OF
| follows: Habkkessin, Habkesin, Har
j hesin, Harcesan, Harkessin, iiarkesin,
Hahersan, Hakesan, Hakessan, Han
> cesar, Hiokessinn, Hisknan, Hecksin,
/ Hhosession. From this on even the
. "H" il dropped and 10 made use o
: sou instead, rs follows: Ooessing
j Ocessen, Ooessent, Ocasen, Ocason
d Ocasat Ocas Del, Ockhessin, Ockes
: sin, Ochksssin, Ga Desson, Oldeckesen
n Oak Oaaene. Ohession, Ohoesson.
o The remaining IL efforts are tenor
q indeed, for they were written Clockes
@ sin, Cookessin, Cockersip, Askission
t Akessn, Nukessli, Nookessin, Blockison
# Gokesom. Sakessin, Rookessin.