Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-11-19
ORIGIN OF "AMERIcA.n
Traditional Explanation Declared &c

Traditional Explanation Declared to
Be Reversal of the Real Facts.
That absurd story as to the origin of
the name America being derived from
the given name Of Emerigo Vespucci
has again been published, on account
of Seemuller's little atlas OF 1907,
wherein the author notes as follows:
Straits navigated by the pilot Amer
icus," or something to that effect, says
Clarke Irvine In a letter to the st.
before horse" His name Of Emerigo
was Latinized into Americus some fif-
teen years after the first voyage Of Co
lumbus Cor Christoval Colon). In five
years after 1892 the whole region OF
the Americas had been visited and
explored by thousands Of sailors, SOL
diers and adventures, and nearly ev-
cry island, coast, peak, headland, and
strait had been named. Can ony one be-
lieve that the vast region itself had no
name? Martin Behaim had been liv-
ing in the Azores long before 1892, and
was stationed at an island on the
lea Island. And, by the way, that
name Merica, Marica, Merca, is often
found in the aboriginal names on that
coast, as per example. Maricabo Isle,
Maricabo Lake, Itamerca, Cuneuna-
merca, etc. An old letter found in a
library Of Paris proves that the name
as spelled and pronounced by Span
iards, Amerique (Ah-mareekay) was
derived from volcano on the coast,
and meant big smoky mount" How
ever, here Is one argument to destroy
all idea of the name originating as sup
posed. Never in all time was any
country named from the given name
of any private person. Had the coun-
try been named for Columbus, would
they have called it Christopher? Had
1t been named after Vespucci 1t would
have been Vespucia. Besides, Hemer-
| igo has no hint Of America In 1t. His
name was Latinized so because Of his
connection with the country.
BY the way, Alaska was named, no
doubt, from Prince Alaska Of Russia,
who in Queen Elizabeth's day visited
England and was very much engaged
in expeditions to oar northwest coast
as I find in DR.. John Dee's diary.
Oregon is unknown, but 1t must have
been named after the Arragon of
Spain. De Soils says names were thus
given by sudden outcries or exclama-
tions Of sailors and were fixed in hu-
man speech" The true pronunciation
of Arragon in Spanish cannot be dis
tinguished from Oregon. All over the
United States are hundreds Of names
of counties and towns after the last
names of men Of local fame, but not
one point has ever been named by us
to honor Beaumarchais, to whom we
are indebted for French aid in our war
Of independence. At our darkest hour,
when all seemed hopeless, came the
ships of Beaumarchies with arms, men
and money, and such men as Lafayette,
/ StcuDclip AOSSiuoho, uiooni eiho w.
ers on board. John Jay said: I'VE
owed more to that man than to all 9TH
ers in Europe"
Names of counties and towns have
been so cheaply obtained that in time
their origin must be lost. BY the way
the name Of county Of Idaho, now
very interesting because of a great
trial recently held there, Ada county,
was given in honor Of young girl, the
only young woman residing there at
the time, Miss Ada Johnson, daughter
of a we'll known politician, Hadley D.
Johnson. He himself procured the
name Council Bluffs to the Iowa town
from its true point in Nebraska, Fort
Calhoun, where the council was held
by Lewis and Clark. The then young
Ada is now a venerable matron named
Mrs. Ada Kelly, now residing a little
east of Helena, Mont. Yet it is prob
able not one person there has any idea
whence the name originated.