The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-01-02
S1cKSAMEs OF MouNTAISEERs


Sometimes Acquire New Names
In the trial of Curtis Jet at Gym
thiana the people OF Kentucky were
given a splendid illustration of the
fondness OF mountain people for nick
names.
Jet himself was called wild Dog
while among the witnesses were Big
Pistol Spieer, Little Pistol Noble,
Wild Hog Combs and "@Tickey Jim
Back Now these are not isolated
cases of ~nicknaming, but the custom
IS SO general in some sections OF the
country that fortunate indeed is the
mountain man who goes through life
without some characteristic nickname.
Ofttime these nicknames are carried
down from one generation to another
and in some instances have come 10
be regarded as the family names Of
the people.
One prominent citizen of a noun
tain town who is noted for his TAXA
tiyeness some how or other got the
nickname Of Windy" and his chill
dren are called Little Windy. Young
Windy" or Windy. Jr." The young
er generation seem TO take the name
as a matter Of consequence and ap-
pear to enjoy rather than object TO
its application to them. The suns
and oon of many seasons will rise
and set before these people are rid OF
their nickname, if they are ever freed
from it.
One of the professors of the p. s.
Lees Collegiate Institute at Jackson
sang a song at a college entertainment
and the chorus to it was the lons
lived bray Of Il mule. The professors
rendition Vas perfect, but he neye:
heard the last of his performance. be
Ing ever afterward called Mule"
This nickname was seen frequently
written on the blackboards at scnooi
| and the fences about the college CAM
pus-nluch to the annoyance Of The
dignified scholar.
1t was sfrOm 4 citizen of Breathist
county. "GreaZy' Bill Turner, that
the famous Fourteenth kentucky
(UniOn) cavalry in the Civil war got
its name of Greasy Fourteenth" but
the popular mind favored the name
"Greasy,' and as long as there is the
faintest recollection anywhere OF this
regiment the last name will stick TO
it. Turner is now dead, but for many
years he was a notable citizen OF this
section-served a number of years 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 6f
Breathitt still living-one of them is
called "Old Nigh-Cuts," n Boiling
one wild Hog" one "Snoot," and
another Boar Eyes" Every one in tie
county knows whom you are talking
about when n of these names is
mentioned, and the parties themselves
are no exception to the rule. They
know their nicknames fully as we'll
as they know their own cognomens.
An ex-senator from Breathitt was
called "Old Baily," an ex-circuit clerk
by Gonies," an ex-superintendent o.
schools "Bristle." The fact is there is
scarcely an office holder in the county
who has not fallen a prey to the fun
maker and must bear some nickname
as a consequence. The names carry
with them as a usual thing some rough
humOr, characteristic OF the county
and it's people, and most generally are
descriptive of feature or trait Of the
person to whom they are applied.
! One thing which strikes strangers
as being peculiar is the number OF
mountain people who have two fam.
lily names-not nicknames-only by
which they are commonly known and
by which the parties themselves Mss
in writing. For instance, a may
be known in his neighborhood as
George Miller, but every time he signs
his name to any document it is writ.
ten George Helton.
A lawyer from a distance started oui
to find Isaac Martin, but saw nc
one on the way who knew this man
Finally, however, he ran upon a party
, somewhat more learned than his
neighbors who told him that it was
Ike 'Fugate whom he sought. thai
Martin and Fugate were one anc
the same person. The lawyer ther
had no trouble in finding his man be.
cause everybody knew Ike Fugate
This condition of affairs results gen.
orally from men being called in THEN
communities by their mothers faulty
name instead of their fathers famil.
uame.
The Hagins and Higgins families o.
eastern Kentucky are closely related
and all descended from a common on
cestry-likwise the Candles and Can.
dills, the Bachs and Backs. In fac
there are numbers of families in tha
region different branches of which
spell their names unlike. or pronounc.
them unlike.
But there are other instances where
life in the mountains has change
the name of the people entirely.
On Troublesome Creek, Breathit
county, years ago, lived an old man b,
the name Of Pruitt Fugate, and strange
to say, all of his descendants hay,
Pruitt for a family name instead o
Fugate.
Old Benton Combs. who reared
large family on the same creek. lef
the name of Benton for a famil.
name for his children, or at least hi