The Savannah morning news., 1903-11-22

Men and women have felt at liberty
to curtail or enlarge or alter their
names to suit their own tastes. Ogle-
thorpes registry of birth or baptism
amounts to very little, as the world
goes, and should not be made to fit a
coffin plate or monumental tablet.
James Fenimore Cooper (my cousin by
marriage) served in the United States
navy as a midshipman under the name
of James Cooper. John Mcintosh
Kell, also served in the U. S. navy
and the c. S. Navy as John Kell,
and John Paul became John Paul
Jones, and under the latter name was
commissioned a captain in the colon
ial navy; but history now exploits him
as Paul Jones. Commander Alexan-
der Slidell. U. S. N, became Alex
Slidell Mackenzie. Other cases might
be cited in naval circles, but these
will suffice.
Now, if we turn to the u. S. army
we become amazed at the great num-
Der and variety of these changes in
names of officers. Ulysses Hiram Grant
becomes Ulysses Simpson Grant; Zach
ariah Taylor changes to Zachary Tay-
lOr; Arnold E. Jones becomes Arnold
Ely. Thomas F. Drayton graduated
at West Point as Thomas Drayton
stephen M. Westmore graduated at
West Point as Stephen w. Moore, but
died and was buried under a different
name which l cannot now recall. Will
liam D. Fraser came out of West
Point as William Smith. / might give
hundred or more similar cases to
show that a birth or baptismal registry
is no guide to tracing a mans name
on tombstone or a monument.
Grover Cleveland was baptised as
Stephen Grover Cleveland. In Georgia
we have plenty of tinkered names; for
example, Robert (A.) Toombs; Alexan-
der (Hamilton) Stephens; (MiddletOm
Pope Barrow; William Urquhart Gar
rard; James (Edward) Oglethorpe.
have in my collection an essay writ
ten in his early life by Grover Cleve-
land, but it is signed rs. G. Cleveland"
And so the world goes. The famous
painter, Gilbert Stuart, was christened
Gilbert Charles Stuart, but like Grover
Cleveland, he shortened up his name
to suit his own and not his parents
taste.
Since writing the above I have seen
Mr.. Harden's very interesting histori-
cal reply to my suggestion about the
"tangle" in Gen. Greene's name. What
he says is of great interest, but it in
no way clears up the "tangle." If
Gen. Washington, who wrote it
Green" was, as Mr.. H. claims mot
a good speller," then Gen. Greene
himself had bad SPELLS" for / have
his autograph as "Nath Green" He
certainly ought to have known how
to spell his own name correctly. His
name also appears on the old army
roll of 1876 as Nathan Green" and
so appeared during all his service I'M
der Gen. Washington. AS to Nathan
ael," the only point 1 make is that
the universal spelling is Nathaniel
Greene" the "Nathanaer' being a rare
exception. The Georgia histories of
all kinds, the Savannah guide books,
ETC., all have it, as a rule, Nathaniel"
and it is so recorded on all the later
army rolls. 1 think there is no doubt
that the original name of all Greene
families was Green. AS to the ma
thanaeL" it will be easier to move
"Raburn Hight to Tybee light" than
remove all the Nathaniel" Greene
records and substitute Nathaniel"
Greene for the same, and prevent any
future use of Nathaniel" in connec-
ton with his name. According to my
good friend Harden, ignorance of
Greek seems to be responsible for the
ninety Nathaniels to the ten Nathan
aels. But the English style appears to
be more popular, as well as more sem
sible. Sidney Herbert.