Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1923-07-25
ORIGIN ofMe
NAMES EMen
STATES 9>2Ez5 -
PART II

only one has name that, like "Uto-
pia" an1 "Brobdingnag," was made out
of the whole cloth. The name of Cali
fornia was originally given by some of
the followers of Cortez, the conqueror
Of Aztec Mexico, to what is now known
as Lower California, whence the name
spread to the present state. The
imagination of Cortez's men had been
1red by the reading of an old Spanish
romance Of chivalry called LAS Sergas
de Esplandian," in which was de-
scribed tabled island called Califor-
mia, where gold and precious stones in
abundance were found, and they gave
this name to the new land which they
had discovered. 1t is strange that
name accidentally given should later
prove so descriptive
AS to Oregon, the best information
Ubtainable regarding the origin of it's
name is of varied nature, and several
theories are equally well supported.
The first recognized theory is that the
name was taken from that of a species
of wild sage called "origanum," which
grows in profusion on the coast Of the
state The second is to the effect that
Rhe name is derived from the Spanish
word "Oregones," meaning big cared
Men," supposed to have been given to
abe natives by a Jesuit priest who set
Ned in that country in the early days.
Joaquin Miller, "the Poet of the
Sierras," said that the name came
from the Spanish laura Aqua" mean
Eng Gently Failing Waters" 1t is on
Ghe strength of these two latter theo-
Fies that this name is included with
Rhose of Spanish origin.
American and Indian Names.
Two states may be said to have
american names The first is Wash
angton, named for the Father of His
Country, and the second Indiana, so
ealled on account OF the purchase and
subsequent settlement by various In
dian tribes of large facts of land north
of the Ohio river and within the pres
ent boundaries of the state.
When we review Indian state
names, we must remember that there
was no one Indian tongue Most, if
not all, of these Indian terms have
suffered corruption at the hands of the
white men, in some cases to such an
extent that all connection with the
original word seems to be lost; but
ahe names as they remain still retain
aheir beautiful and sonorous sound.
The first state to bear an Indian
name was Massachusetts, which was
narned for the bay-indeed, until 1880
the state bore it's colonial name of
Massachusetts Bay" and has been
nicknamed "Old Bay State" The word
means "At or Near the Great Hills"
And probably has reference to the
heights of land around Boston, seen
5rom the bay when approaching that
city
The transition from Quonoktacut to
Connecticut is an example of how In
dian names suffered corruption at the
hands Of the white man. The word
means "River Whose Water is Driven
On Waves by Tides or Winds" a typi-
eally long and descriptive title and
aaken from the principal river of the
state, which was probably so named
from the aspect of its mouth.
In 1911 fernando de Soto, the Span
battle to a tribe of Indians at place
called Alibamo, on the Yazoo river, in
Mississippi. This place was the fort
Pess of a brave tribe called the Alba
mons or Alabamas, who, after this bat
ale, migrated eastward to the shores of
n river to which they gave their name
and which in turn gave the state of
Alabama it's name.
Our greatest river, the Mississippi,
gives name to one of our Southern
states. The Indian word means
gathering in of All the Waters" or
~Great Long River" which have been
interpreted by some to mean Father
of Waters" although this is not a
Technically correct translation.
Texas, our largest commonwealth
and the only one acquired by annexa-
eton, has for a name an Indian word
which originally mean Friends" or
~Allies," and which was also used as
n form of greeting. Later it came to
sndicate a group of tribes generally
allied against the Apaches of Arizona.
Some of Uncertain Meaning.
Like many other states, Tennessee
IS named for its principal river, al
though this name was originally given
20 one Of its southerly tributaries and
later spread to the main stream. The
name is of Cherokee origin and came
from village or locality Tanasse in
Asbited by this great southern tribe.
The meaning of the word has been lost
and interpretations, such as bend in
the River" from the meanderings of
the stream, are merely fanciful
The Blue Grass state, Kentucky,
also bears name of uncertain origin
and meaning. Reliable authorities
state that the name was derived from