Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 November 1901 — Why Morocco was so Named. [ARTICLE]

Why Morocco was so Named.

The Morocco Courier has been trying to find someone who could tell the worried editor why their town was named Morocco, and the query has called forth many answera, with little information. A Kentland correspondent, seeing a chance to even up with our neighbor for trying to get the county seat, gives the following version : “George and West ley Spitler, John Murphey and Harry O. Perry, while surveying the town, all agreed tint it was the finest sheep country they had ever seen, and they then and there agreed to name the town Sheep Skin, and as such it was known until about the year ’76. Then Harry O. Perry, while making a trip north to see his old friend Andrew Ellis, and incideutiy to round up a few Bogus Island outlaws to übo as a horrible example at the next county seat fight, stopped in Morooco and bought a pair of sheep skin shoes of his friend Andy Young, Andy guaranteeing the same to be genuine Morocco. When H. O. returned from his northern trip, through a heavy rain, his shoes had spread until they covered ail that parcel of land be tween Clay street and the railroad on the right, and irom thence on to the eastern limits of the town on the left. Harry was cussin’ like a sea captain, and before he got out of town caused it to be known that he had discovered a new name for sheep skin, and at a meeting of the citizens in the fall of ’B7, presided over by Wm. Darroch, it was decl.ied to rename the town Morooco.”