The Norfolk weekly news-journal. (Norfolk, Neb.) 1900-19??, 1908-05-01
SIGNIFICANCE OF NAMES
COUNTIES AND TOWNS ON THE
NORTHWESTERN SYSTEM.
INTERESTING BIT OF HISTORY

Unique and Valuable Pamphlet Just
Issued by the Chicago & Northwest
ern RaiIroad-origin Of Names OF
North Nebraska Towns.
The origin Of the names of all the
counties and towns through which the
Northwestern and Minneapolis d.
Omaha railroads pass are explained
in a unique valuable and interesting
pamphlet history Of 200 pages compil-
ed by w. II. Stennett of Chicago.
How many people know how the
names of the more important towns in
north Nebraska originated? How
many know just how the name of
their town and county came about?
The origin of the following north
Nebraska place names are explained
by this interesting bit of history which
has just been received in Norfolk by
officials of the Northwestern:
County Names.
Antelope county: Named by Lean
der Gerard in commemoration of his
killing an antelope while chasing In
dams In this region.
Boone county: Named for Daniel
Boone OF Kentucky.
Boyd county: Named for James Il.
Boyd, once governor of Nebraska.
Brown county: Named for two mem.
bers of the legislature who reported
the bill for organization of the county.
Cherry county: Named for Lieu
tenant Cherry of the United States
army.
ColfaX county: Named for Vice
President Schuyler Colfax. the county
seat taking the vice presidents given
name.
Cunning county: Named for T. b.
Cunning, governor of the territory of
Nebraska, 1S54.lS55.
Dawes county: Named for James
w. Dawes, former governor of the
state.
Dodge county: Named for Augustus
Caeser Dodge, United States senator
from Iowa.
Gregory county (South Dakota)
Named for j. S Gregory, a legislator
of the state
Holt county: Named for Joseph
Holt of Kentucky, a member of Presi-
dent Lincoln's cabinet.
Knox county: Named for the Re
volutionary General Knox, 1t was orig
inally called L'Eau que Court county
but was changed by the legislature at
the request of David Quimby, legis-
lattve representative.
Madison county: Named for Presi-
dent James Madison.
Pierce county: Named for Presi-
dent Franklin Pierce.
Platte county: Named from the
Platte river; that was named from
the French plate" meaning dull"
shallow"
Rock county: Named on account
of its rocky soil
Stanton county: Named for Edwin
M. Stanton, the great war secretary
of the war of the rebellion.
Cedar county: Named in reference
vicinity.
Dixon county: Named by the legis-
lature of the state for a pioneer set
tier.
Thurston county: Named for Unit.
ed States Senator John NJ. Thurston
of Nebraska.
Wayne county: Named for General
Anthony Wayne, one Of the heroes of
the American revolution.
North Nebraska Towns.
Ainsworth was named for ]. e.
Ainsworth the chief engineer for
twenty years of the Sioux City and
Pacific and the Fremont, Elkhorn and
Missouri Valley railroads.
Albion was named from Albion,
Mich. That place was named from
place in Maine, and that from an
ancient name for England.
Anoka was named for a place in
Minnesota and is an Indian word mean
ing ION both Sides" the town in Min
nesota being on both sides of the Rum
river
Atkinson was named for Col. John
Atkinson of Detroit, Mich, who had
large landed interests thereabouts.
Bassett was named for J. w. Bas-
sett ranchman, who in 1871 took
into the country the first bunch" of
cattle to test the quality and fitness
of the native grasses for cattle food,
and who thus became the founder of
one of the most important industries