The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1907-12-19
What's In These Names2

The report on bridges, hled wit
the State highway commissioners at
Augusta, reveal many Instances or q
caustic wit among the early settlers
who had the naming of the streams.
All the bridges in the State, six feet or
more in length, are reported with
possibly an inaccuracy here or there
in the figures made by municipal
officers who prepare the statements
for the cities, towns and plantations.
South Berwick In the southwest
corner of the State reports bridge
across Love brook. There may be
no connection between lave and
other things, but further along in the
report from the same town, the COM
missioners IL armed of the existence OF
Labor in Vain brook. North Ber-
wick contributes Nogutaquit brook to
the collection, Wells reports Web
hannel, and Saco perpetuates the
name of some ancient festivity in
Goose Fir brook. An ancient local
re be lion is brought to the mind of
Oxford clears" when they hear of
Mutiny brook in Waterford. Roz-
bury suggestively reports Whiskey
stream, followed by Noisy stream.
Grannybole stream is in Topsham,
and Shingshine creek in the adjoin
ing town of Bowdoinham. Pug
brook is in Athens and must have
received its name long before the
snub nosed dogs were introduced
into Somerset county.
Lemon stream in New Portland is
the opportunity of the joker who is
fond of present day slang and the
same town must some time have wit
messed a sanguinary disturbance for
it has Kilkenny brook. Moscow
ambitiously reports that it possesses
the Gulf stream, which must be that
famous currents recent approach to
Russia.
Home brook is in Cambridge, and
three of the names of brooks in the
town are Ike, Cush, and Jimmy, who
are certainly very near home. Scoot-
ARIA stream is in Medford and has no
connection with the famous Medford
beverage. Sinking brook is in the
adjoining town of Milo.
Peppermint brook is in Monson,
and the winds watt its fragrance east
erly to Mt. Misery brook in Sebec.
Dufor brook in Madakaska implies
in threat to ''do for" somebody, but
is merely the surname of French
settler given to the stream near his
clearing. Greenbush has Halfway
brook, but the selectmen were not
required to tell what points 1T is be-
tween. Eberhaze stream is in Wood
vile, Mimmarchin stream in Dexter,
and Madunkeunk stream in Chester,
all bearing alleged aboriginal desig
nations. " attagoodus in Webster
plant alton belongs to the same class.
Pierre Paul brook is not in the region
of French settlements as might be in
ferred but il is in the staid old Yankee
town of Corinth. Early troubles of
some unknown kind are reelected In
the name of Bloody stream i'll Steston.
The Penamaquam river is III Penn
broke and Beverayer cove in No.
Haven.
Sucker brook, Colewater brook,
and many others are repeated all
over the state. Moose, Alder, Birch,
Maple, Stony, Muddy, Mill, Falls,
Beaver, Bear and many other brooks
are SO common that the clerks in the
highway commissioners Office say that
they dream of them. A large number
have taken the surnames of early
settlers, and Smith, Brown, Jones,
Higgins, Sukeforth, Newbert, Annis,
McKeen, Holland, Sawtelle, Side
linger, Theworgy, are few samples
out of the list of hundreds.