New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-08


some eight in number, which duplicate Connect-
cut town names, especially those of Litchfeld
County.
With only two Connecticut townships bearing
Indian names-and of those questioned-in
State which has many sweet sounding Ind
ian titles for rivers lakes and localities.
interesting anomaly is raised. 1t is explained
largely by the contempt in which the Con-
necticut settlers and their Immediate descen-
dants held the Indian. his character and his
works A minor locality. a lake stream retains
its Indian baptism; not region aspiring to the
civic dignity of town And the fact that whole
c1:ony could be stamped with the name Connect
cut" is only Of the large exceptions that prove
the rule among settlers who degraded the Indians
by special and harsh laws. Even when planta-
ton began with its Indian name it quickly
dropped. illustrated by the early substitution Of
New-Haven for "Quinnpiac" and New-London
for "Pequot' The Connecticut township with
unchallenged Indian name is now Naugatuck. de-
rived from the river and valley Of the same name
But 1t was not incorporated until 1874. Norwalk is
probably Indian also and taken from the aboriginal
"Nayaug," meaning "a point Of land as Noank
was, and not. has been asserted from one days
"north walk from the Sound to the upper borders
of the original plantation. Within the old towns.
however, regions bearing Indian titles have natu-
rally grown to considerable places. including the
city OF Willimantc and villages Of the type of
Mystic. Mantle and Moodus
There in Connecticut many hundred Indian
4
large proportion Of the land places in the aborigi
nal tongue end with terminals "auke.' signify
ing land ground; TUCK" signifying wood"
or tree" and Junk" meaning standing tree"
while common terminals for Indian water names
pc" signifying water; "peauke,' water-land;
"paug," denotng water at rest as a lake. pond
slow river; TUX" tidal river estuary; "sauk,"
outlet mouth of river, and "amaug." fish
ing place. By memOrizing these nine ultimate
syLables. part Of good many Indian names
vbiIa rha
cedent syllables require much deeper Indian lore
The best known Indian names in the State may be
translated follows; Connecticut, land Of the
long tidal river; Housatonic, over the hills
referring probably to name given by the first
Indians to cross the bold watershed of the upper
waters of that ctream; Naugatuck, zone tree
probably referring to a singular tree standing
near a ford in the town Of Seymour and trans
ferred to the river; Montauk, place Of observa-
tion," or lookout; Manus, the river in Greenwich
and Stamford. named from a local Indian pTOprie-
tor; PaEquicke, the whole Of the Danbury plain.
"open land open country; Aspetuck, the
river in New-Nilford and Washington. high
place." and title shifted to the stream; Bantam.
the largest lake in the State, probably from
"peantam." meaning praying Indian" f. e..
Indian converted to Christianity. The original
Indian name Of the lake was "Shepaug." or Great
Pond"-a title now transferred the river Of that
name-and the lake was for generations called
Great Pond" in the near towns. and will be found
under that name in Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stoves
"Oldtown Folks" The term "abrigador." a rocky
region in Waterbury. which has somewhat puz-
zled local residents is probably to be referred to
the Indian abridged meaning. a covert"
sheet" and taken from cleft hanging rock
though there has been contention in favor Of a
Spanish etymology from 'abrigadero." meaning
also. curiously enough. sheltered place"
Other familiar Indian names Of the State rem
dered into English are: Pequannock, signifying
cleared land; Quinnebaug,' long pond; Sau-
gatuck "ouf.et of tidal river; Mattatuck place
without trees; Wauregan. "a good thing; Winnie
paug "a fine pond; Willimantic, "a good look
OUT; Marshapaug. large standing water; Wara-
maug good fishing place.; Mantle point of land
on tidal river; TotoBet mountains ION the great
tidal river; Shetucket, land between rivers and
transferred TO the stream; Mystic. great tidal
river: Cos Cob. high rock. probably referring
a local bluff; Hockanum, "hook shaped" named
from a bow in the river at East Hartford. which
has disappeared Pawcatuck river). either ''Pequot
River" open tidal river; Mamaroneck. from
chief Of Indian tribe, and Yantic. ION side
of tidal river" The well known Compound
Pond. whose shores are familiar recreation grounds
in Central Connecticut, takes its from an old
Indian called John Compound by the early settlers,
and who joined with them in a deed for a sale Of
land. while Moodus in East Haddam. famous for
it's occasional subterranean noises. due probably to
rock falls in underground hollows. takes natural
title from the Indian NIachemoodus, signifying
place OF noises
More original than aboriginal the odd English
names that have attached themselves by local
usage TO small regions of the State. Sometimes
these titles. while often mere ncknames. refer 10
places definitely marked off as a school district a
valley HILL plain point OF land; but much more
often to indefinite district which, as a whole.
suggests the characteristic name. There are thou
sands of these district names in the State. How
common the odd ones are is suggested by the
fact that the township Of Stratford alone before
4 part of its territory was set OFF to Bridgeport
contained names Of localities Point No Point,
Goose Harbor. Ten Cent. Gold Diggings skunk's
Tavern Wigwam, Hammocks Tins Bushes Devils
Den Honey Spot, Lazy Bank and Success. Cleaned
from alphabetical list OF about 1900 Of such
names in Connecticut the following: Balla-
hack, Baugal. Bedlam Bitgood. Bokum Break
neck Bricktop, Buff Cap Cat Swamp, Chewink
Corum Dan, Dogs Misery. Devils HOpyard Divi-
dend Equivalent, Goose Lane Goslee. Hard Scrab-
HE. Halter Ridge, Isinglass. Jabbok Nyumphs
Nod, North Brick, Obtuse PauHanaram Peace
able. Paywell Pegville. Pick. Pinch Street Podunk
Pitch Potato Lane. Poverty. Press Barn Bar
Puckshre, Purgatory Pudding HILL Puddletovn
Pufingham Purchase, Quail Trap. Rattan. Roast
Meat Hill, Sabtown. Samp Mortar. Scotch Can
Slsunkamaug. Spit Head Schoonville Shanke,
Hollow. Squabbleholow, SHUTDOWN. Suffrage
Tangwank Tater HILL Tebtown To-day Hin
Tucker Wallop. Phip Stick. Wig Hin ana
Wood Tick The sometimes are de-
ceptive. Thus. Mad Mare Hin. some miles
northwest of New Haven, does not run back 10 a
tradition II a crazy horse. but to an old resident
French woman. an admirer of Napoleon and who
named the hin after Madame Mere" his mother
So Rag HoIlow-ater ramed Pleasant Vaney-in
the town of Cheshire. goes back not 10 localized
poverty but 20 a factory where rags were used for
polishing wheels. The roughness and rocky quality
of many Connecticut places has naturally put upon
them not few Satanic titles; and the story Is
credible Of the rural pastor who announced 20 his
congregation. Brethren. / shall hold services of