The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1914-03-10

| distinguished old name Taliver. There
| are, or were, quite number bearing
! hat surname in the city. We had a
family of colored people here named
| Benoist. Though not serving white
people of that name, they chung to it
| Jecause they were proud to have once
been members of that distinguished
| family of French residents of st.
Louis.
A number of negroes after freedom
| retained the name TrOost, some of
them excellent and honorable people
in their humble stations in slavery
i days and after. Could the city's street
manners" have had this in mind when
applying that name to the busy
thoroughfare? If so, that may settle
| vexed question, why Troost Ave
nue." No one could or would say a
word against the good, unassuming,
unnoted DR.. Troost, but his humble
| career could warrant no such distinc-
| ton as having one of the principal
streets named after him.
Jabez Smith, painter, near indie
pendence, owned at one time more
| than 800 negroes. 1t is said he did
not know half of them by sight In
view of this fact, it seems singular
that negroes with Smith for surnames
are not more numerous.
The prevalence of the many curious,
fanciful, veen absurd given names of
accounted for. Negro mothers, no &C
count of the oft-recurring in rapid
succession of visits from the stork,
were put to it, so to speak, to fad
names for their babies, SO they would
ask the white folks to assist in the
| selection. This gave sentimental
young miStresSeS on young men hero
worshipers or with romantic predilec-
tions opportunity to bestow upon the
helpless infants favorite and noted
names of history and fiction; hence
Ccipio, Caesar, Napoleon, Pompey,
Cupid, Paris, Remus, Nebuchadnezzar
| (dwindled down to Buck), Caledonia,
Pandora, Arminta, Fatima, Ursula,
Cleopatra and other equally as far
| fetched were laviShly interspersed
among plain, everyday cognomens.
Named Many White Gables.
On the other hand, negro mammleS
occasionally named white babies.
| Birdie Fisher, the contralto singer,
now in Chicago, was named by a capa-
i BILE, faithful nanny negro who never
| left the service of her mistress and
aided in every way in rearing the chill
dren of the Fisher family.
An eminent physician of the olden
times had a man servant with the
same given name as his own. This
man William attended to his masters
office, kept the books, accompanied
him usually on his visits to patients,
and did the bleeding and cupping so
frequently restored to by the old-tme
doctor. When the Civil War ended
and William was free both he and his
former owner began the practice of
medicine in the same town. From
doorways on opposite sides of the
same street swung signs each read
ing "Dr. William Warren"
Disturbed conditions prevented a
strict enforcement of ordinances in re-
gard to licenses. The relations be-
tween the two DR.. Warrens continued,
the white physician advising his for
mer servant in perplexing cases and
assisting in the serious ones, the col
! ored M. D. rendering as OF old, any
aid in his power to "Old Mastah."
Kirby Smith, pioneer OF Jackson
county, whose farm is now within the
city limits, owned scores OF negro
servants. A while after the close OF
the war he was complimented on the
fine body of land he possessel. eS,
he replied; "oh, yes, the farm is fine
one, but | miss my negroes; honestly
| would rather have back my trusty,
good servants than own all the lanu
| between here and ST. Louis. IN
| lonesome without the CHEEKY light
blazing fires on the cabin hearths
| which shone from the ever-open doors
the whole year round regardless Oh
weather. l miss the loud outlaws,
the dancing, the melody of the DID
corn gathering songs, the cheerful,
willing service. You may take the
blank plantation if you will just brlnS
back my own negroes sound and we'll
and happy as when they were taken
| from me"
Tom Bass, the noted negro horse
man. not only retains his old masters
surname, but continues to pursue the
business congenial to the old-tlme
Bass clan.