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NAMES OF THE STATES AND THEIR SIGNIFICATION.

NAMES OF THE STATES OF THE UNION, AND THEIR SIGNIFICATIONS.

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Virginia. The oldest of the states, was so called in honor of Queen Elizabeth, the "Virgin Queen,” in whose reign Sir Walter Raleigh made his first attempt to colonize that region.

Florida.-Ponce de Leon landed on the coast of Florida on Easter Sunday, and called the country in commemoration of the day, which was the Pasqua Florida of the Spaniards, or "Feast of Flowers."

Louisiana was called after Louis the Fourteenth, who at one time owned that section of the country.

Alabama was so named by the Indians, and signifies "Here we Rest." Mississippi is likewise an Indian name, meaning "Long River." Arkansas, from Kansas, the Indian word for "smoky water." Its prefix was really arc, the French word for "bow."

The Carolinas were originally one tract, and were called "Carolana,” after Charles the Ninth of France.

Georgia owes its name to George the Second of England, who first established a colony there in 1732.

Tennessee is the Indian name for the "River of the Bend," i. e., the Mississippi which forms its western boundary.

Kentucky is the Indian name for "at the head of the river."

Ohio means "beautiful;" Iowa, "drowsy ones;" Minnesota, “cloudy water," and Wisconsin, "wild-rushing channel."

Illinois is derived from the Indian word Illini, men, and the French suffix ois, together signifying "tribe of men."

Michigan was called by the name given the lake, fish-weir, which was so styled from its fancied resemblance to a fish trap.

Missouri is from the Indian word "muddy," which more properly applies to the river that flows through it.

Oregon owes its Indian name also to its principal river.

Cortez named California.

Massachusetts is the Indian for "the country around the great hills." Connecticut, from the Indian Quon-ch-ta-Cut, signifying "Long River." Maryland, after Henrietta Maria, Queen of Charles the First, of Eng

land.

New York was named by the Duke of York.

Pennsylvania means "Penn's woods," and was so called after William Penn, its original owner.

Delaware after Lord De la Ware.

New Jersey, so called in honor of Sir George Carteret, who was governor of the island of Jersey, in the British channel.

Maine was called after the province of Maine, in France, in compliment of Queen Henrietta of England, who owned that province.

SUGGESTIONS TO THOSE PURCHASING BOOKS BY SUBSCRIPTION.

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Vermont, from the French words vert mont, signifying green mountain. New Hampshire, from Hampshire county, in England. It was formerly

called Laconia.

The little state of Rhode Island owes its name to the island of Rhodes, in the Mediterranean, which domain it is said to greatly resemble.

Texas is the American word for the Mexican name by which all that section of the country was called before it was ceded to the United States. SUGGESTIONS TO THOSE PURCHASING BOOKS BY SUB

SCRIPTION.

The business of publishing books by subscription, having so often been brought into disrepute by agents making representations and declarations not authorized by the publisher, in order to prevent that as much as possible, and that there may be more general knowledge of the relation such agents bear to their principal, and the law governing such cases, the following statement is made:

A subscription is in the nature of a contract of mutual promises, by which the subscriber agrees to pay a certain sum for the work described; the consideration is concurrent that the publisher shall publish the book named, and deliver the same, for which the subscriber is to pay the price named. The nature and character of the work is described by the prospectus and sample shown. These should be carefully examined before subscribing, as they are the basis and consideration of the promise to pay, and not the too often exaggerated statements of the agent, who is merely employed to solicit subscriptions, for which he usually paid a commission for each subscriber, and has no authority to change or alter the conditions upon which the subscriptions are authorized to be made by the publisher. Should the agent assume to agree to make the subscription conditional, or modify or change the agreement of the publisher, as set out by the prospectus and sample, in order to bind the principle, the subscriber should see that such condition or changes are stated over or in connection with his signature, so that the publisher may have notice of the same.

All persons making contracts in reference to matters of this kind, or any other business, should remember that the law as written is, that they can not be altered, varied or rescinded verbally, but if done at all, must be done in writing. It is therefore important that all persons contemplating subscribing should distinctly understand that all talk before or after the subscription is made is not admissible as evidence, and is no part of the contract. Persons employed to solicit subscriptions are known to the trade as canThey are agents appointed to do a particular business in a prescribed mode, and have no authority to do it in any other way to the prejudice of their principal, nor can they bind their principal in any other matter. They cannot collect money, or agree that payment may made in anything else but money. They cannot extend the time of payment beyond the time of delivery, nor bind their principal for the payment of expenses incurred in their business.

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It would save a great deal of trouble, and often serious loss, if persons, before signing their names to any subscription book, or any written instrumen, would examine carefully what it is; if they cannot read themselves, call on some one disinterested who can.

History of Pettis County.

CHAPTER I.-INTRODUCTION AND NAME.

Signification of History-Kinds of History-Value as Instruction-Object of this WorkTask of the Historian and His Fitness-How and by Whom Collected and CompiledMistakes-Criticisms-Signification of a Name-How Pettis County got its NameSketch of Hon. Spencer Pettis.

History, in its most general signification, is a narrative of events. It includes a record not only of national events and affairs in the world at large, but also an account of small districts, families, and of the lives and acts of individuals. History is of two kinds-narrative and philosophical. The former mere statement of facts as they occur, one after another; while the latter also comprehends deductions from those facts, and the relation of cause and effect. At first, history took the form of tradition, which is oral opinions or memorials handed down from father to son, or from ancestor to posterity, assuming the form of religious belief, much of which was obscure and mythical.

Among the oldest examples of written history are sculptured inscriptions and records of acts of rulers, especially their victories, and are found on temples and pyramids of Egypt, Assyria, Greece, and Phoenicia. Herodotus, the father of history, was born about the close of the fifth century, B. C., and his writings, so far as known, are the earliest that can be traced of history, aside from the collections of Moses. Thucydides was the second great historian, but his writings approached more nearly the philosophical style than the writings of Herodotus. The ancient historians of Greece and Rome usually confined themselves to plain narrative, as Xenophon in his Anabasis, Cæsar in his Commentaries, and Livy in his History of Rome. Tacitus showed his in portraying tyranny in its blackest colors. Eusebius was the first great ecclesiastical historian.

Modern history has the tendency of critical rather than merely narrative. Many of the histories written within the last half century are wonderful monuments of critical research. In these days the historian is no longer a mere reporter, he must be prepared to analyze character, and to weigh events. He must seek his materials at the fountain head, must compare the private with the public actions of the characters he portrays, and present to his readers a picture of men and women which shall be

accurate in minute detail, and yet embrace the remoter consequences of

their actions.

Annals are a chronicle divided into distinct years; biography, the history of the life and character of a particular person; memoirs, an account of transactions in which the narrator bore a part; a romance, a fictitious tale; and chronicle, the narration of events when time is considered the chief feature. All these are closely related to and fall within the province of history. The writer of history includes within his subjects more, and a greater variety of, material than any other literary man, and history is a more fruitful source of practical instruction than any other branch of literature. The pleasure and profit derived from careful perusal of the pages of history is unlimited. Histories are multiplying as the popular demand increases, for the chief object in making a book is its sale. All books, except, perhaps, the Bible, are made with the prime object of profit. Scientific works, works of fiction, histories, school books, books of poetry, newspapers, and all other periodicals, are issued with the full expectation of pecuniary profit to the publisher, and it is right that they should receive reward, for, in the strife for wealth and power, men would otherwise neglect the cultivation of the mind, and the production of hidden truths. No man would publish a newspaper for the sole purpose of conferring a benefit on his fellow; no man would publish a history for the sole object of glory, or through a philanthropic act, desiring to confer a blessing upon those into whose hands it chanced to fall. Literature, like all other occupations, must be suitably rewarded. It is not at all probable that the publishers of this work would have undertaken such a great task unless they rightfully expected suitable remuneration.

The history of Pettis county will be found to contain all, and far more than the publishers have promised or their friends expected. Mistakes and inaccuracies will occur. No history, nor any other book, not even the Bible, the best of all books, has yet been written without them. Books of the character of this history have been known in older States for several years. County, township, city, neighborhood, and even family histories have been compiled in most of the eastern States, including Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, California, and many western districts. The history of one of these counties combine the good qualities of many histories in one book, besides furnishing a personal sketch of rare worth and gratification. A short history of the State, which also relates to many national affairs, then a detailed history of the county under many different heads, in such a manner that if the reader will make it a careful study he will be greatly pleased and profited.

The historian should be a man of broad and generous views, free from prejudice. Such is a stranger who goes into a county to place in order its history. True, he meets with many obstacles which would not present