Rensselaer Republican, Volume 14, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 December 1881 — How the States Were Named. [ARTICLE]

How the States Were Named.

New York. Times. The Hon. Hannibal B. Staples read a paper at the annual meeting of the American Antiquarian Society in Worcester on ■ the 21st inst, in whicn he discussed ttie origin of the names of several of the states. His conclusions were as follows: New Hampshire gets its name from Hampshire, England. Massachusetts is derived from an Indian name, first given to the bay, signifying ,‘near the great hills.” Rlrode Island has an obscure origin; the ‘‘lsland of Rhodes/’ the “Island of the Roads,” and a Dutch origin “Red Island,” were mentioned, the first seemiug to have the best historical support. Connecticut is an Indian name, signifying “land on a long tidal river.” New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland were passed over. The Carolinas and Georgia have a royal origin. Maine was named from the fact that it was supposed to contain the “mayne portion” of New England. Vermont has no especial question, except that it is claimed to have first been an alias— New Connecticut alias Vermont. Kentucky r da.ly signifies either a “dark and i ; dy ground,” or a j river,” or “the long river.” Tennessee -nmes from its river, the name !be - derived from the name of an ' .an village on the river,“Tanasee.” Ohio is named after an Indian name signifying “something great,” with an accent of admiration. Indiana comes from the name of an early land company. Illinois from the Indian—the name of a tribe. Michigan is claimed to mean “lake country/’ it probably came from the name of the lake, “Great Lake,” which bore this name before the adjacent land was named. Louisiana is from the French. Arkansas and Missouri are Indian—the former being beautiful; the latter is claimed to mean ip its original*‘muddy water,” which describes the river. lowa is also Indian, with doubtful meaning. Texas is popularly supposed to be Indian, but may be Spanish. Florida is Spanish, “a flower land.” Oregon has a conjectural origin it is claimed. It is probably Indian, but a Spanish origin is claimed. California comes from a Spanish romance of 1510. Nevada takes its name from that of the mountains. and they get theirs from a resemblance to the Nevadas of South America. Minnesota is Indian, “skytinted water.” Nebraska is variously rendered “shallow water” and “flat country.”-Kansas is from an Indian

’ root, Eaw, corrupted by the French.' Mississippi is “great water,” or “whole river.” Alabama is Indian, the name of a fortress and a tribe, signifying, me is claimed, “here we rest.” Incident of Chief Me-sirth-gotne-sia Kushvllle Republican. • About twenty years ago, Uncle Harmony Laughlin made ft a business) to take frequent trips to Watftsh bounty where he purchased ponies of the Indans, and brought them baok to Rush county. Ononeparticular occasion he visited the camp of Me-shin-go-me-sia, a, few miles from Wabash. Thecrafty old fellow was hard to beat in a > trade, and the extent of his knowledge concerning “bosses” was only equaled bytthe size of his body, he nearly 300 pounds. Mr. Laughlin purchased five or six of the ponies, and was shrewd enough to have them delivered already haltered, inasmuch as the “critters” were as shy as so many, mountain goats. This was considered’ a big feature in a trade. Salt was such a rare luxury to the ponies that they would risk life and reputation to gain a small amount of it. So an old squaw approached the ponies with a handful of salt, and when the animals saw the tempting artiole, they approached the woman, who elowly backed intoarickety building. As soon as the ponies were in the structure, the door was hastily closed, and behold, a number of equine prisoners found themselves at the mercy of their masters. Old Me-shin-go-me-sia, halter in hand, entered the building, and pilloried the “nag” designated oy Mr. Laughlin. The astute Indian was loth to bring the animal out in the open air, well knowing its friskyness.'Unele Harmony insisted, however, and out they came with a dash. Me-shiu-go-me-sia, it should here be 6aid, was clad only in a shirt, reaching to his knees. The pony reared, ran, kicked, snorted aedihot out like a cyclone, the obese retfruOn holding on like a leech. The next thing Mr. Indian knew he was sitting flat on the ground, with nothing between his naked anatomy and Mother Earth, scooting along like a fast horse on a race track. “Stop horse! stop horse! Injun sick!” howled the aboriginal citizen. A number of braves rushed to his assistance, and rescued the sliding man. Old Me-shin-go-me-sia sold the rest of the ponies, but he refused to lead the animals from their quarters single-handed. 11 is supposed that he reposed on his stomach every night for a mouth after.