Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1921-01-06
"NAME THE FARM"
MOVEMENT GROWS
Washington County Farmers in
the Lead in Giving Their
Places Good Names.

HiIiu NHeH ne put the question INTO
Romeo's mouth was perfectly logical,
for a rose would smell just rs raviSh-
ingly and sting just rs cruelty under
any other name. But sometimes there
great bard could listen to our argl-
ment, he probably would give in to our
taking exception 10 his generalization.
However. there is no rule without eX-
ception, for this proves the rule.
Take for instance the naming OF
farms. Most of our farms are named
after their owners. and 50 we find the
Smith and the Jones, the Schultz ana
the Meyer farms, names which do not
convey anything unless we know the
parties, and that knowledge is not nj
ways pleasant How much more in
spring and picturesque would it sound
If the farms were named, for example
Wild Rose farm. White Moccasin farm,
Green Valley farm, Crystal Brook
farm? Such names at once bring pleas
ant anticipations to the mind. They
form really charming associations with
the farm homes which they designate.
List of Good Names Prepared
From a recent press bulletin by the
University of Wisconsin we learn that
f. A. Aust of the experiment station
is engaging himself with the subject of
naming Wisconsin farms, and he has
made up list of names, which will he
sent to anybody asking for it, He d.
vides farm names into three classes:
Those derived from Typographical con
ditions, hills, valleys, lakes and run
ming water; those determined by trees
shrubs or flowers on the farm; and
those based on historical reminiS-
cenceS connected with the farms, In
dian names, or names of old settlers.
The custom of naming farms in this
manner in Washington county during
recent years has been spreading. For
evidences the writer recently rum
mayed a file cabinet Of job-work sam
pies and found quite number Of
striking names of farms in the vicin-
ity of West Bend and further away, in
the county. Some of them are little
known, and because the subject, likely
as not, will interest many readers, we
will mention those farms that to our
knowledge have been named and
whose baptismal record appear" on
neat nOtehcadS and other stationery,
without which those really progressive
agriculturists and stock breeders would
not run their farms:
Pine Grove, j. 3. Alters; Maple
croft, John HOrlamus e. Son; Cedar
Lawn, G.. a. Schroeder; Webster, w
w. HamIyn; Hillside, Charles i. Bart
let; The Strong Arm, Franklin l.. Sal
tcrs; Stone Valley, J. J. Matenucr:
Orchard Lane, John Eckhart; Long
Lane, Carl Eckhart; ElmwQod, William
GruElc; Orchard Blossom, Ed w. Ger
ner; Prospect. Paul ]. Bast; Maple
Leaf Alfred s. Scyfcrt Home An
drew Endlich, Jr.; Forest Lawn, PHI
Lang; Meek Creek, JAG Konrad High
land, G. L. Endlich; Briar Cliff, Fred
Zieglcr; Hilldrop, Adam Kohl: Sunny
Hillside, William II. Peters; Ever
green Lake Home, Oscar Loew; Sum
nit. G. f. Kirschmann Glover Leaf.
Friedemann Brothers, and Hickory
Grove, Walter p. Seyfert.
Makes Good Start.
1t must be admitted that this is
here. All Of these names appear to
be selected The farmers Of this coun
ty with its variegated scenic features
it's hills and valleys, kettle and ground
moraines, springs, creeks, rivers, trees
and shrubs and flowers of many kinds
should have little trouble in finding
suitable names for their farms Local
history might also stand sponsor to
some farm nomenclature-names or in
cidents taken from the early settle.
ments. Indian names for the purpose
are extremely rare. as far as their
bearers, or the objects, were in what
is embraced by Washington county,
like "Noknm," the Indian name for
Pipe lake; "Mequonsippi," for the
Pigeon creek, and "Kewaskum." the
name Of Pottawatomi chief who lived
in this county.
1t takes pride in the spot and love
of rural life to name a farm, and to
note that we have made progress In
this move in our county IL quite en-
couraging. 1t also means that the
owner intends to stay on the farm and
make it permanent home Of the fam
ily And If the land should change
hands, an appealing and appropriate
name may be thrown in the bargain.
for the name will remain with the
farm-a feature that furthermore will
tend to make the names Of the farms
stable, instead Of changing. and 10
eating the land will be easier.