Name Origins of the Unites States + giveaway

  By Tiffany Amber Stockton

In February, we learned about carousels and their start as part of "little wars" in ancient times. You can read last month's post if you missed it.

Today, I'm going to start with the first of 5 total posts on the origins of the state names in the United States. These will be sprinkled throughout the rest of this year, not the next 4 months. So, let's go!

STATE NAMES and their ORIGINS

Alabama comes from the Choctaw word albah amo meaning thicket-clearers or plant cutters.

Alaska has ties to the Aleuts and the Russians, with the words alaxsxaq and Аляска, respectively, essentially meaning mainland.

Arizona has ancient roots to the Uto-Aztecan word ali sona-g, which was adopted by the Spaniards as Arizonac, meaning good oaks.

Arkansas is the French pronunciation of an Algonquin name for the Quapaw people, akansa.

California is truly a magical place. So magical in fact, it’s named after a fictional world invented by the author Garci Ordóñez de Montalvo, which Spanish explorers adopted when setting foot on the gold coast.

Colorado is another Spanish-influenced name that essentially means ruddy or ruddish. The name was first applied to the Colorado River for its distinctive color.

Connecticut, much like Colorado, was named for the river running through it. The word possibly stems from the Native American term quinnitukqut, meaning beside or at the long tidal river.

Delaware is also named for a body of water, but that body of water was named for Baron De la Warr, the first English governor of Virginia. The baron’s name is old French for of the war.

Florida taps into its Spanish roots by referencing Pascua florida, meaning flowering Easter, as Spanish explorers found the lush area during the holiday season. There's also a tie to the Latin word floridus, meaning strikingly beautiful.

Georgia may be known for its southern hospitality, but it’s actually named for King George II from Great Britain.

And that's all for today. If you're like me and LOVE puzzles, download this PDF for some puzzle challenge fun. You might be able to solve it on your own without reading the rest of the blogs in this set, or you can save it and add to it in future months. :)

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN:

* Which one of these states was the most fascinating to you?

* Do you live in any of these 10 states? If so, did you know this was the origin of its name?

* What do you think might be the origin of any of the other 40 states? (you'll learn about them throughout the year)

** Please do not reply via email with any comments. View the blog online and scroll down to the comments section.

Leave answers to these questions or any comments you might have on this post in the comment box below. For those of you who have stuck around this far, I'm sending a FREE autographed book to one person every month from the comments left on each of my blog posts. You never know when your comment will be a winner! Subscribe to comments so you'll know if you've won and need to get me your mailing information.

Come back on the 9th of April for my next foray into historical tidbits to share.

For those interested in my "fictional" life as an author and industry news about other authors, subscribe to my quarterly newsletter. Receive a FREE omitted chapter from my book, A Grand Design, just for subscribing!

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BIO

Tiffany Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood, when she was accused of having a very active imagination and cited with talking entirely too much. Today, she has honed those skills to become an award-winning, best-selling author and speaker who is also a professional copywriter/copyeditor. She loves to share life-changing products and ideas with others to help improve their lives in a variety of ways.

She lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, along with their two children and four cats in southeastern Kentucky. In the 20 years she's been a professional writer, she has sold twenty-six (26) books so far and is represented by Tamela Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. You can find her on Facebook and GoodReads.

Arizona Ranches in History – Part 1 – beginning to 1849 By Donna Schlachter -- with Giveaway

Credit to Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records, History and Archives Division

This month, I’m sharing information about the history of ranching in Arizona, the early years. I’ll save the later years for another time.

For me, this was a real eye opener. When I think of Arizona, I see desert. Dry, arid, nothing but cactus and coyotes. Or I think of Flagstaff, which, the last time I came through, boasted the worst snowstorm I’ve ever driven through. So I think of mountains, snow, cold. Neither of these extremes sounds like it bodes well for ranching.

Hayes Ranch -- Arizona State Library records

When I was writing the original story A Prickly Affair, which I later re-released as Cactus Lil and the City Slicker, I did my research, and learned that cattle ranching has a long and colorful history.

While records are a little fuzzy, around 1540 would-be conqueror Coronado led an expedition that included 150 head of cattle toward the New World and the Seven Cities of Cibola, located on the border of Mexico and Arizona. Coronado intended to use the cattle to feed his troops, but he ended up abandoning some near Sinaloa. No doubt these original cattle spread out, starting wild cattle herds across the southwest.

Next, a missionary named Francisco Kino immigrated to Mexico in 1681 and began a chain of missions across the Sonoran Desert in 1687. One reason the local inhabitants accepted him was because he brought cattle, which he often gifted to Indian tribes throughout the region. The Indians left the cattle to fend for themselves, foraging on open range and breeding in large numbers.

As far back as the 1690s, even more Spanish settlers introduced cattle. Imagine landing on either the east or west coast of the country, and driving your cattle thousands of miles inland. While this was likely accomplished in stages and over a period of years, the trek was tough on man and on beast. Many were likely introduced through Mexico, shortening the journey. Most of these ranches were temporary and followed the water and the weather to ensure the best grazing for the cattle.

Sita Ranch, Empire AZ -- credit Arizona State Library records

The 1790s to 1800s were golden years for Spanish colonists in Arizona. The number of settlers increased, as did the number of farms, mines, ranches, and cattle. With ranchers wanting to increase the size of their herds came land grants that helped establish permanent locations for ranching families, which meant they no longer had to follow the seasons and the water.

Unfortunately, this land grab also meant increasing hostilities with local tribes and original peoples, and cattle ranching decreased as most Mexican ranches in Arizona were abandoned and the settlers relocated to Tucson. Animals were left to fend for themselves, and over the next twenty years or so, the herds were almost wiped out by Apache tribes.



Leave a comment, and I’ll draw randomly from both posts for one winner of a print (US only) or ebook of Cactus Lil and the City Slicker. Please remember to cleverly disguise your email address so you don’t get phished. For example: donna AT livebytheword DOT com



Question: The number of cattle per acre a rancher can sustain depends on water, grass, and weather. In Arizona, the number is up to 1 per acre of pasture. How many cattle could you sustain per acre in your state (on average)?



 

About Cactus Lil and the City Slicker

A rough-and-tumble cowgirl, “Cactus” Lil Duncan longs for true love, but is afraid to let down her prickly exterior when a city slicker from New York City, with less-than-honorable intentions, tries to win her trust and her hand.





About Donna:

A hybrid author, Donna writes squeaky clean historical and contemporary suspense. She has been published more than 50 times in books; is a member of several writers groups; facilitates a critique group; teaches writing classes; ghostwrites; edits; and judges in writing contests. She loves history and research, traveling extensively for both, and is an avid oil painter.

www.DonnaSchlachter.com Stay connected so you learn about new releases, preorders, and presales, as well as check out featured authors, book reviews, and a little corner of peace. Plus: Receive a free ebook simply for signing up for our free newsletter!

 

www.DonnaSchlachter.com/blog

Check out previous blog posts at www.HiStoryThruTheAges.wordpress.com and www.AllBettsAreOff.wordpress.com

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/DonnaschlachterAuthor

Twitter: www.Twitter.com/DonnaSchlachter

Books: Amazon: http://amzn.to/2ci5Xqq

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/donna-schlachter

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&query=donna+schlachter

 

Resources:

https://arrowquip.com/blog/industry-news/cattle-ranching-in-arizona

https://speccoll.library.arizona.edu/news/cattle-ranching-arizona-historical-landmarks

https://cowboylifestylenetwork.com/history-of-ranching-in-arizona/

https://www.azfb.org/Article/Arizona-Ranching-In-the-Beginning

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Bonita_Ranch

Four States, Four Tribes, Four Corners

By Tiffany Amber Stockton

Last month, I shared about the world's largest natural hot spring existing right here in Colorado. If you missed that post, you can read it here: https://www.hhhistory.com/2020/10/largest-natural-hot-spring-in-world.html.

Today, we're taking a little trip away from that hot spring to the far southwest corner of Colorado. 

THE POWER OF FOUR

Have you ever stood in one place and touched 3 different states? There are a lot of chances across the US to do that, and less than a handful of states which only touch 2 other states. But how about standing in one place and touching FOUR different states? An intersection. And that place is called the Four Corners Monument.

Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellings

Last summer, a friend of mine came to visit, and we traveled to the southwest corner of Colorado, Durango to be specific. As part of that weekend blitz, we went a little further southwest and took in the Mesa Verde Cliff Dwellings. When I looked at a map of the area and realized we were only 30 miles from Four Corners--a place I had wanted to visit since childhood--I knew we had to go. It would mean not getting home until midnight or later at the end of our weekend, but we had to do it!

Monument in 1962

The Four Corners area is named after the point where the boundaries of four states (Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico--just think UCAN) meet, where the Four Corners Monument is located. It is the only location in the United States where four states meet. Most of the Four Corners region belongs to semi-autonomous Native American nations, the largest of which is the Navajo Nation, followed by Hopi, Ute, and Zuni tribal reserves and nations. It's mostly rural, rugged, and arid. In fact, while driving, it reminded me a lot of a desert. Not a desert like the Sahara with nothing but sand, but a mountainous desert with rock formations combined with sand.

Monument in 1992

The United States acquired the four corners region from Mexico after the end of the Mexican–American War in 1848. In 1863 Congress created Arizona Territory from the western part of New Mexico Territory. The boundary was defined as a line running due south from the southwest corner of Colorado Territory, which had been created in 1861. This was an unusual act of Congress, which almost always defined the boundaries of new territories as lines of latitude or longitude, or following rivers. By defining one boundary as starting at the corner of another, Congress ensured the eventual creation of four states meeting at a point.

Monument in 1989

When I researched photos of this monument, I was surprised to see it once sat in the middle of what seemed to be "nowhere" with nothing but open space around it. Over the past 150 years, this site has seen a lot of changes.

My feet touching 4 states

By 1899, the sandstone shaft marker placed by Chandler Robbins in 1875 had been disturbed and broken, so it was replaced with a new stone by two U.S. Surveyors, Hubert D. Page and James M. Lentz. In 1912, a simple cement pad was poured around the marker. The first modern Navajo government convened in 1923 in an effort to organize and regulate an increasing amount of oil exploration activities on Navajo lands, and they played a big role in the monument's further development.

Monument in 2013

In 1931, Everett H. Kimmell, another U.S. Surveyor, found this newer stone had broken too and he replaced it with a brass disc marker set in cement. In 1962, the Bureau of Land Management and the Bureau of Indian Affairs poured an elevated cement pad around the 1931 brass marker; this pad included the state border lines and names in tile. The monument was completely rebuilt in 1992, and the 1931 brass marker was replaced with a disc shaped aluminum-bronze plate set in granite. The monument was again rebuilt in 2010, although the disc shaped plate from 1992 remained in place.

Monument showing Navajo and Ute
selling booths at the perimeter

The monument I and my friend visited with the individual stone booths where the various Navajo and Ute Indians sell their hand-made items is obviously a lot newer than I at first thought. Prior to 2010, it seems those booths and walls weren't there at all. Completely changes the landscape and appearance. It doesn't diminish the experience of touching four states at once, though. :) And I loved being able to shop genuine Navajo items without the middle man jacking up the price. This way, I knew my money was going straight to the craftsman or designer, and it was a lot of fun chatting with them.

Finally, just for fun, here's an animated GIF image showing the progression of the 4 states from territories into the states we have today.

Now it's YOUR turn:

* Have you ever been to Four Corners? When did you go?

* Where else in the U.S. have you visited that is designated as a national monument or a national park? And what was your favorite part about your visit? 

* What is your overall favorite national park or monument to visit?

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BIO

Tiffany Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood, when she was accused of having a very active imagination and cited with talking entirely too much. Today, she has honed those childhood skills to become an award-winning and best-selling author and speaker who is also an advocate for literacy as an educational consultant with Usborne Books. She loves to share life-changing products and ideas with others to help better their lives.

She lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, along with their two children and two dogs in Colorado. She has sold twenty (24) books so far and is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. You can find her on Facebook and GoodReads.

The Pleasant Valley War

By Nancy J. Farrier

Pleasant Valley, Arizona
Photo by WackyBadger, Wikimedia Commons

Most people have heard of the famous feud between the Hatfields and McCoys, but not as many have heard of the feud that sparked the Pleasant Valley War in Arizona. This war that cost upwards of fifty lives and almost wiped out the men of one of the families.

The Pleasant Valley War, also known as the Tonto Basin Feud, Tonto Basin War, or Tewksbury-Graham Feud, took place in Arizona from 1882 to 1892. The events are fairly convoluted and I will try to put them in order so they make sense, but the story is involved so much will be left out.

Edwin Tewksbury
Wikimedia Commons

Ed Tewksbury, owned property in the Tonto Basin of northern Arizona. The land was a lush pastureland with trees and perfect for running cattle. The Grahams also moved to the Tonto Basin and purchased land. John Tewksbury, Ed’s son, and Tom Graham became friends and wanted to build a cattle herd together. They did this by catching mavericks or unbranded calves, which they branded with their own unique brand.

Most of those calves came from the herd of James Stinson, who had a very large herd and wasn’t well liked by the others. There were flare ups when Stinson accused Graham and Tewksbury of stealing his calves. Shots were exchanged and one man was injured. Stinson tried to say Ed Tewksbury was at fault since his shot wounded the man, but John Graham testified that Stinson’s men started the altercation and the charges were dropped.

 In 1884, the war escalated when Stinson offered each of the Grahams fifty head of cattle, and to drop all charges brought against them, if they would give state’s evidence against the Tewksburys. The Grahams took the deal and charges were brought against the Tewksburys. The case was thrown out of court due to lack of evidence, but the trip to the court caused the family great hardship when Frank Tewksbury contracted pneumonia on the trip home and died.

Another increase in the war happened when the Tewksburys leased some sheep and brought them on the range. Cattle owners disliked sheep, saying they cropped the grass too short and left nothing for the cattle to eat. The sheep herder the Tewksburys hired was killed and at one point many of the sheep were destroyed.

The conflict escalated as other factions entered the fray, including the infamous Hash Knife Outfit. The Hash Knife Outfit cowboys were known for their hatred of sheep and sheepherding. They would run herds of sheep into water to drown them. Or gallop among the sheep, scattering the animals and killing many of them.

Tewksbury Cabin
Photo by Marine 69-71 Wikimedia Commons

A sad turn of events happened in September 1887. Some of the Grahams approached John Tewksbury’s cabin. They caught John and another man outside and killed both of them. They continued firing at the cabin for hours. The battle continued until Eva, John’s wife, who was also eight and a half months pregnant, came out of the cabin with a shovel and dug graves for her husband and the other man. The Grahams rode away.

The shootouts, lynchings, and murders continued over the next few years. The Grahams and Tewksburys continued the feud until only two of them were left. Tom Graham fled the area and ended up settling in Tempe, Arizona. He was later shot in the back by assassins. On his deathbed, he named Ed Tewksbury as one of his attackers.

Ed Tewksbury and John Rhodes went on trial for murder in Tempe. The first trial

Gun Port, Tewksbury Cabin
Photo by Marine 69-71 Wikimedia Commons

was thrown out on a legal technicality. During the trial, Tom Graham’s widow, Annie, tried to murder Rhodes. When she pulled her pistol from her bag, some of the fibers of the bag caught in the firing mechanism and prevented the gun from firing.

It took seven men to pry the gun from Annie’s hands as she screamed for them to let her kill the men who killed her husband. She was taken back to her hotel room and I found no evidence that she was charged with anything.

The second trial for Tewksbury and Rhodes ended in a hung jury. They were later released and the charges dropped. In an interesting twist Ed Tewksbury went on to become a lawman in Globe, Arizona, and John Rhodes became an Arizona Ranger. One account said that back then being good with a gun held a lot of sway for you to be in law enforcement.

John Tewksbury Grave
Photo by Thecraziness Wikimedia Commons

Western author, Zane Grey, wrote a book, To the Last Man: A Story of the Pleasant Valley War. The 1992 movie, Gunsmoke: To the Last Man, featuring Matt Dillon, was based on the Pleasant Valley war and Grey’s book. 

Have you ever heard of the Pleasant Valley War or the Tewksbury-Graham-Stinson Feud? Have you read Zane Grey’s book or seen that Gunsmoke movie? If you ever visit northern Arizona, look for the Tonto Basin and think about what would cause people to be so angry they would wipe out most of the opposing family.

Nancy J Farrier is an award-winning author who lives in Southern Arizona in the Sonoran Desert. She loves the Southwest with its interesting historical past. When Nancy isn’t writing, she loves to read, do needlecraft, play with her cats, and spend time with her family. You can read more about Nancy and her books on her website: nancyjfarrier.com.

Arizona, a Valentine's Day Birthday

by Nancy J. Farrier

Photo by Wing-Chi Poon, Wikimedia Commons

Arizona is one of two States accepted into the union on Valentine’s Day, February 14^th. Oregon joined in 1859, and Arizona in 1912. Since this is Valentine’s month, and Arizona is my home State, I thought it would be fun to see some of the wonderful benefits gained when we became part of the United States of America.

In 1528, the land mass that includes modern day Arizona, came under Spanish rule, or conquest. Then in 1821, Mexico gained control of the territory including Arizona. That is the same time period when the first trappers and traders came west from the United States of America. 

Lavender Pit: Bisbee
Wikimedia Commons

Then in 1848, the USA won the Mexican-American War, taking possession of all the country in Arizona north of the Gila River. That means where I live and Tucson, which is south of me, still belonged to Mexico. Then in 185,4 the Gadsden Purchase claimed all of modern day Arizona. Arizona became a territory of the United States of America in 1863.

In 1854, copper was first discovered in Arizona. Copper has been a major industry of the State and continues to be important today. Copper is extracted and exported and is one of three major exports we are known for: copper, cattle, and cotton. There are several productive mines still active and viable, though not as many as there used to be.

Grand Canyon: by Murray Foubister, Wikimedia Commons

In 1869 John Wesley Powell did the first trip through the Grand Canyon by boat. Powell lost an arm during the Civil War, but still had the heart of an explorer. He traveled from Green River, Wyoming, through Utah and through the Grand Canyon, mapping the way. The Grand Canyon became a National Park in 1919 and in 1940, Arizona became the Grand Canyon State.

Interesting fact: There have been almost 700 deaths at the Grand Canyon. Some of them have been accidental falls from the rim of the canyon. Several have been men jumping from one rock to another to get the best spot for a picture.

Meteor Crater by Tsaiproject, Wikimedia Commons

In Northern Arizona, you can find a geographical treat if you visit Meteor Crater. The crater is almost 4,000 feet across and over 550 feet deep. The enormous crater was first named Canyon Diablo crater when discovered in the 19th century. Scientists call it Barringer Crater after the man who first suggested a meteor impact caused the formation. The Barringer family owns the crater, which you can visit.

Wyatt Earp
Wikimedia Commons

Arizona added to the western gunfighter appeal when in 1881 Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday took on the Clanton gang who had been rustling cattle. The shootout has been written about and made into movies many times. The town of Tombstone, where the shootout took place, is a major tourist attraction. You can still visit that alley and see where the gunfight happened. Although this is the most famous old west gunfight, the actual fight only lasted thirty seconds.

Another legend of Arizona was the reign of Geronimo and the Chiricahua Apaches he led. They fought hard to

Geronimo (far right) and warriors
Wikimedia Commons

maintain their way of life, but on September 4, 1868, Geronimo surrendered and the fighting ceased. In 1905, Geronimo published his autobiography. He also met with President Theodore Roosevelt and tried in vain to convince him to allow the Apaches to return to their land. He was an incredible warrior who grieved the loss of his land and way of life.

Hoover Dam 1941 by Ansel Adams
Wikimedia Commons

Arizona is home to some famous dams. Roosevelt Dam, Coolidge Dam and Bartlett Dam were very important, but Hoover Dam was a major feat of engineering. At the time, Hoover Dam was the tallest in the world. The concrete used in the construction would have stretched across the country. The first summer of construction was extremely hot and they needed the poured concrete to cool quickly, so the engineers designed the world's largest refrigerator to put out enough ice to cool the freshly laid concrete and help speed the building process. 

The name of the dam was very controversial. After being named, Hoover Dam, after President Hoover, there was opposition. For years, the name was changed to Boulder Dam, until President Truman made the Hoover Dam the official name.

There are so many unique features in Arizona. From the mountains in the north to the deserts in the south, Arizona is a beautiful State and a wonderful addition to our country. Happy Birthday, Arizona.

Nancy J Farrier is an award-winning author who lives in Southern Arizona in the Sonoran Desert. She loves the Southwest with its interesting historical past. When Nancy isn’t writing, she loves to read, do needlecraft, play with her cats, and spend time with her family. You can read more about Nancy and her books on her website: nancyjfarrier.com.