Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-12-16
How the State of Montana
Received Its Name

sionist democrats, Stephen A. Douglas, to
whom 1t was suggested by Gen. j. w.
Denver, governor of Kansas territory,
after whom the city Of Denver was chris
tened. Douglas was chairman OF the sem
ate committee or territories when tho
question Of dividing up the great Rocky
mountain country was first preached,
but he dried before the creation OF either
Idaho or Montana.
In a letter to William Edgerton San
ders, son of M%ontana's first senator, +. M.
Clavenger, who had been private secre-
tary to Governor Denver, told Of the
meeting between the two men at which
the question Of an appropriate territorial
name was discussed.
Denver Meets Douglas
In this letter, dated March Ia, 1905,
Clavenger says:
Some time during the ~fifties. Stephen
A.. Douglas, who was in the senate, in
vited General Denver to call at his house.
the two being fast friends. Denver re-
sponded to the invitation, and was ush-
cred into Douglas library. The senator
said: Denver, l am going to organize
some new territories, and I want you
TO give a name for one of them
Denver at first suggested the name
Colorado but Douglas. picking up q
map from his desk, remarked: L have
that name selected for one down here
| pointing on the map), but l want a
name for this territory up heret point
ing) in the mountains
THE general studied for q
and replied Why not call it Montana
Douglas said: What does the word
mean?' 1T is q Spanish word, and means
a mountainous country replied Denver"
1t is probable that General Denver
knew of the founding Of the town Of
Montana west OF the future city OF Den
yer in the fall of 1858. or Of the incor-
poration of the Montana Tow company
in the following year. The settlement.
which was founded by a score Of miners
from Lawrence, Kan. had only n brief
existence, as gold in paying quantities
was not found in this neighborhood.
Several of its inhabitants moved to the
town of Auraria, on the site of the pres
ent Denver.
When the bill for the creation Of Idaho
territory came up in congress and the
senate rejected the name Montana" Mr..
Ashley objected strenuously to its pas
sage by the house, preferring to defeat
the measure rather than permit the name
to be changed. Previously, when the or
ganization of Colorado was being dis
cussed both Montana" and idaho" had
been proposed as names for that terri
tory.
When Sidney Edgerron, chief Justice
Of Idaho, was dispatched from Bannack
to the national capital to urge the sepa-
ration of the territory east of the Bitter
Root mountains, he was instructed by
his associates to champion the name
Montana" although the legislature at
Lewiston had declared in favor of JEFF
ferson" as the designation of the pro-
posed territory.
Story of Debate in Congress
The story of the final debate in the
house over the name is related as fol-
lows in Mr.. Sanders contribution to the
reports of the Montana Historical society:
On December 4. 1868. MIR. Ashley in
troduced a bill before the hous of rep
resentatives to provide a temporary gov
eminent for the territory Of Montana.
This bill. after being referred back to
the committee on territories. was placed
before the house for action on March II,
1864, and was generally discussed.
Mr.. Cox democrat, of Ohio) desired
to say that he did not like the proposed
name Of the new territory. II do not
know whether it is Spanish, French Of
English"
Mr.. Ashley (republican) 1T is q Span
ish word, meaning mountainous"
Mr.. Cox: II know. But 1 ask the gen.
tleman whether he cannot give 1t a name
that will be a little more significant,
Cannot he give 1T some Indian name?"
Mr.. Washburne (Illinois): II suggest
that the gentleman from Ohio propose
that 1T shall be called Absynnia."
Mr.. Beaman desired to know what the
gentleman from Ohio proposed for it.
Mr.. Cox: Il suggest an Indian name-
S-hoshone-if my colleague (Mr. Ashley
will tell me what hat means"
Mr.. bennett Colorado: ut means
snakes" (Laughter).
Mr.. Cox: II understand that the legis-
lature has asked that the new territory
shall be called Jefferson"
Mr.. Ashley: ooh, we'll. we are opposed
to that"
Mr.. Cox: Opposed to Jeffersonl I
propose that we name the new territory
by unanimous consent. Douglas terri
tory I think the gentleman opposite
Will agree to that
Mr.. Ashley: "Oh, no, we cannot do
that"
Continuing. Mr.. Cox said: You have
got your Frederick Douglas, and we upon
this had q white man, whom we rever-
enced. by that name.
Frederick Douglas was a noted negro
orator, who had labored, after obtain
ing his own freedom, in the abolition
cause.
Some opposition was encountered in
the senate also over the proposed name.
but the bill was ultimately passed and
was signed by the president on May
20, 1864.