The state herald., 1902-10-03
ABOUT PLACE NAMES
THEIR DERIVATION AND MEANING

Authorities Are Frequently contradic-
tory-chlcago Named for Either
Wild Onions or skunks-AIabama
and Chesapeake Are Also In Doubt
-Publication Intended to Induce
Criticism and Elicit Information.
In bulletin 1877. series +, geography
81. of the United States geological
survey, now in press. MIR. Henry Gan
nett, geographer. gives the origin Of
some 10000 place names in the United
States. These" he says in his letter
of transmittal, have been compiled
from various sources, printed and
manuscript. The publication is recon-
mended, not only for purposes of in
formation. but to induce criticism end
additions, with view of obtaining In
the future ali possible information on
this subject.
The work should be of considerable
interest as embodying much local and
general history. During the compila-
tion of the bulletin, a large corre-
spondence was carried on with state
and loS1l historical societies, lyate,
county and township officers. aid in.
dividuals in all parts of the country.
Much valuable material WIS collected
In this way which otherwise would
have been unavailable.
A few specimens will indicate the
scope of the work.
"Alabama: State of the Union and n
river OF that state, named from an In
dian tribe. There are several explana-
tions OF the meaning of the word.
Gatchet gives burnt clearing Others
say 1t means here we rest Haines,
In his American Indian, gives 'thicket
rlearers.'"
Bailey: County In Texas, pamed
for onesy the men who fell ~ the
Alamo, March 6. 1896. His first name
Is worn away on the stone monument,
which is the only record of him."
Chicago: City and river in Illinois.
The origin of the word is from the
Indian. being a derivation by elision
and French annexation from the word
Chikang-ong. Colonel Samuel A.
Starrow used the name in a letter to
General Jacob Brown, in 1876. as fol-
lows: The river Chicago (or In the
English, wild Onion river'O.' School.
craft In 1920 said; Its banks .
stated to produce abundantly .
the wild species of cepa or leek.
Bishop Baraga gives: From Chigag,
or Sikag. skunk" kind of wild cat.
John Turner defines skunk as she
gahg;' onion, she-ganga-wlnzhe, skunk
weed When the word first appeared
the country was inhabited by tribe
of Miamis, in whose dialect the word
for skunk was 'Se-Kaw-Kaw' 1t is
said that the wild cat, or skunk, was
named from the plant"
Occur d'Alene: Lake and town in
Kootenai county, Idaho; named from
n tribe OF Indians. French name.
meaning needle hearts or awl hearts.
Some authorities say that this name
was given TO these Indians because the
expression was used by chief of the
tribe to denote his opinion OF the Ca.
madam trappers' meanness. Rev. NJ.
Eells says that the name was given to
the tribe by members of the Hudson
Bay Company. because OF their sharp
ness in trade"
chesapeake: Bay in Maryland,
which gives name TO several places in
the country. An Indian name vari.
ously explained. Heckewelder says II
is corrupted from Tschischwapeki.
which is compounded Of Kitshi. highly
salted.' and peek. "A body of standing
water. pond n bay Others give
Che. great. and sept. waters Bos.
man interpreis II as mother OF
waters w. w. Tooker says that the
early form was Chesepiooc. from
k'che-sepi-ack. country on great
river"