The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-14
MECHANICS OF MOUNTAINEERs.
How the People Of Eastern Kentuck,
Sometimes Acquire New Names.

How the People Of Eastern Kentucky
Sometimes Acquire New Names.
In the trial OF Curtis Jett at Gym
thiana the people Of Kentucky were
given q splendid illustration Of the
fondness of mountain people for nick
names. says the Louisville Courier
Journal. Jet himself was called wild
Dog" while among the witnesses were
big Pistol Spicer. Little Pistol No
BILE. wild Hog Combs and Hickey
Jim" Back. Now. these are not iso-
lated cases Of nicknaming but the Gus
tom Is so general in some sections Of
the mountain man who goes through
life without some characteristic nick
name. Oftentimes these nicknames are
carried down from one generation to
another. and in some instances have
come to be regarded as the family
names Of the people
One prominent citizen Of q mountain
town who is noted for his talkativeness
somehow or other got the nickname of
Windy" and his children are called
Little Windy" Young Windy" or
Windy, Jr" The younger generation
seem to take the name as q matter OF
consequence, and appear to enjoy rather
than object to its application to them
The suns and moons OF many seasons
will rise and set before these people
get rid of their nickname. If they are
ever freed from 1t.
One of the Professors of the g. P.
Lees Collegiate Institute at Jackson
sang a song at a college entertainment
and the chorus to It was the long
continued bray Of Q mule. The Pro-
fessor's rendition was perfect, but he
never heard the last Of his perform
ance, being ever afterward called
Mule" This nickname was frequently
seen written upon the blackboards at
school and upon the fences about the
college campus, much to the annoyance
of the dignified scholar.
1t was from q citizen Of Breathftt
famous 14th KY. (Union) Cav. in the
civil war got its name Of Greasy Four
teenth." The members Of his regiment
tried to call themselves THE Bloody
Fourteenth" but the popular mind
favored the name Greasy" and as long
az there 10 the faintest recollection any
where Of this regiment the last name
will stick to it. Turner is now dead,
but for many years he was q notable
citizen OF his section-served a number
of terms as Magistrate, but was always
Squire Greasy" both In and out Of
court, in his presence and out OF his
presence.
There are several ex-Sheriffs Of
Breathitt still living-one Of them is
called "Old Nigh-Cuts," one Boiling"
one "Wild Hog" one "Snoot" and an
other Boar Eyes" Every one in the
County knows whom you are talking
about when one Of these names is men,
toned, and the parties themselves are
no exception to the rule. They know
their nicknames fully as we'll as they
know their real cognomens.
An ex-senator from Breathitt was
called "Old Bally," and ex-Circuit Clerk
by Comics" an ex-Superintendent of
Schools "BristIe." The fact is there is
scarcely an officeholder in that County
who has not fallen a prey to the fun
maker and must bear some nickname
them as a usual thing a kind Of rough
humor, characteristic of the County and
it's people, and most generally are de-
scriptive Of some feature or trait Of the
persons to whom they are applied.
One thing which strikes strangers as
being very peculiar is the number of
mountain people who have two family
names-not nicknames-One by which
they are commonly known and one
which the parties themselves use in
writing. For instance, man may be
known in his neighborhood as George
Miller, but every time he signs his
name to any document 1t Is written
George Helton.
A lawyer from distance started out
to find Isaac Martin, but saw no one
on the way who knew his man. Final
ly. however, he ran upon a party some
y hat more learned than his neighbors,
who told him 1t was Ike Fugate whom
he sought, that Martin and Fugate were