USA > Illinois > Cook County > Chicago > A History of the Origin of the Place Names Connected with the Chicago & North Western and. > Part 12
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Limestone, Peoria County, Illinois, was named from the abundance of lime- stone in the vicinity, and from the location of a lime kiln near the town site. Linnberg, Webster County, Iowa, was named from a nearby eminence (berg) on which grew many "Linden, " "Linn, " "Basswood," (Tilia Ameri- cana) trees, when the town was established.
Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska, was named for Abraham Lincoln by the legislature of Nebraska. It was located and named as the site of the state capital. Previous to this action of the legislature a village called Lan- caster, had been established here. That village was named for Lancas- ter, Pennsylvania.
Lindsay, Platte County, Nebraska, was platted by the Pioneer Town Site Com- pany in 1886, and was named for the man on whose farm the town site was established.
Lindwerm, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, was named for an early settler and owner of the land on which the town was platted.
Linn Grove, Buena Vista County, Iowa, was named because of its location in a grove of "Linden" (Bass wood) "Linn," (Tilia Americana) trees that grew here when the town was located.
Linwood, Butler County, Nebraska, was platted by the Pioneer Town Site Com- pany in 1887 and was named from a grove of "Linn," "Linden," "Bass- wood," (Tilia Americana) that had been planted nearby by an early settler. Lisbon, Linn County, Iowa, was named from Lisbon, in Portugal, by John E. Kurtz, the first settler here.
Little Chute, Outagamie County, Wisconsin, was named from the early French name for Fox River "Riviere des Chutes," "River of the Falls." Their name for this specific place was "la petite chutes," "The Little Falls."
Little Lake, Marquette County, Michigan, was named from the lake nearby. It was once called Forsythe, for an early settler, but thirty-five years ago, the name was changed to Litle Lake by Isaac Johnson, who built & saw- mill on the lake.
Little Rapids, Brown County, Wisconsin, was named from a post office that had been established here long before a railroad reached the place. The
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Malcolm, Langlade County, Wisconsin, was named by and for Malcolm Hutch. inson, now (1907) living at Bryant, Wisconsin, and who was the first settler in what is now the village of Malcolm.
Malone, Clinton County, Iowa, was named from the place in New York state. The first station was called Ramersa, but when the buildings were burned, the station was moved to its present location and the name changed to Malone.
Malone, Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin. The early name was St. Johns. The present name is given in honor of T. H. Malone, an officer of the first rail- road that was built through the place.
Malta, DeKalb County, Illinois. The original name was Aetna, from Mount Aetna. The present name was taken from the Island in the Mediterra- nean Sea.
Malvern, Oneida County, Wisconsin, was named from the battle field in Vir- ginia that is known as Malvern Hill.
Manchester, Kingsbury County, South Dakota, was named for a family of early settlers. It formerly was called Fairview, because of its outlook. It was located by the Western Town Lot Company in 1882.
Manitowish, Iron County, Wisconsin. This name is a corruption of the Chip- pewa Indian word Man-i-do-wish, meaning "evil spirit," and was first given the town site from the Manitowish River on which it is located.
Manitowoc, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin. A Wisconsin writer claims the word Manitowoc means Swarm of Spirits, but this undoubtedly is fic- tion. It is an Indian word, meaning "Spirit Land." Its basis is the Algon- quin word or term, we write Manitou, which is merely a term of reverence applied to any object, literally a "spirit."
Manitowoc Junction, Brown County, Wisconsin, was named from its nearness and relation to the city of Manitowoc.
Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minnesota, was named from an Indian word, meaning "bule," or "blue earth," but more properly it means "green earth." It was named by Mrs. Hinkley, an early settler who spoke the Sioux language. The proper spelling of the name was Mah-ka-to, and was applied to the river on account of the color of its water.
Mankato Junction, Blue Earth County, Minnesota, was named from its near- ness and relation to the city of Mankato.
Manilus, Bureau County, Illinois, was plated by the railway company in 1901, and was named from Manilus, New York, and that was named for the Roman general.
Manning, Carroll County, Iowa, was named for O. H. Manning, once Lieuten- ant Governor of Iowa. It was platted by the Western Town Lot Company in 1881.
Mansfield, Brown County, South Dakota, was named by and for John Mans- field, the original owner of the town site.
Mantorville, Dodge County, Minnesota. The first settlers in this county were three brothers, Peter, Riley and Frank Mantor; they settled on this town site in 1853. When the town was platted it was named for them.
Manville, Converse County, Wyoming, was named for H. S. Manville, the man- ager of the Converse Cattle Company, and afterwards and yet (1907) a prominent citizen of California.
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post office was named from the rapids in a nearby stream. The place was once called "Little Kaukauna," Kaukauna means "pike," "pickerel," "portage."
Little Saumico, Oconto County, Wisconsin, was named from the river. The name is from the Indian, O-sa-wa-mick-kong "yellow beaver," or the "yellow widened place." The post office was for a time called Grosse, from the Grosse family of the place, but was finally made uniform with the town and railroad station.
Livingston, Grant County, Wisconsin, was named by Thomas Watson, for Hugh Livingston, who owned the land where the village is located, and who was helpful in getting the railroad built through the locality.
Lodi, Columbia County, Wisconsin, was named Lodi by J. H. Palmer, the owner of the town site, from the bridge or place made celebrated by Na. poleon's victory.
Logan, Harrison County, Iowa, was named by E. B. Talcott for General Joba A. Logan, The original name was Boyer Falls from a nearby rapids in the Boyer River. The town was laid out in 1867.
Lohrville, Calhoun County, Iowa, was named for Jacob A. Lohr, the original owner of the town site. It was platted by the Western Town Lot Company in 1867.
Lombard, Dupage County, Illinois,. The original name was Babcock's Grove, and was so named by and for a Mr. Babcock, the original owner of the town site. The present name came from Josiah L. Lombard, who in 1868 purchased most of the land in this vicinity.
London, Dane County, Wisconsin, was named by early settlers from London, England.
Lone Rock, Kossuth County, Iowa, was platted in 1899 by the Western Town Lot Company, and was named from a single (lone) rock, found on the town site when it was platted.
Long Point, Tama County, Iowa. The name is a transliteration of the Indian name. They so called it on account of a long point of land that projected into the Iowa River near this village.
Long Pine, Brown County, Nebraska, was laid out in 1884 by the Pioneer Town Site Company and was named from the nearby river. The river was name] from the pine trees that grew along it. The main river is known as Pine Creek, and its two branches as Long Pine and Short Pine respectively.
Loretto, Boone County, Nebraska, was named from the city in Italy. It was previously called Loran for Loran Clark, of Albion, Nebraska.
Loretto, Dickinson County, Michigan, was laid out in 1887, and named from the city in Italy.
Lost Spring, Converse County, Wyoming, was named from a spring at the head of Lost reek, which is near the village. The stream was so named because it sank out of sight at places and was "lost" to sight.
Loveland, Pottawatomie County, Iowa, was named by and for E. Loveland, the original settler, owner of the townsite, and locator of "Loveland's Mills," of the early days of Western Iowa.
Lowden, Cedar County, Iowa, is a transliteration of Louden of Loudenville, Ohio, and was given by Thomas Shearer, the owner of the town site, who had moved from Loudenville, Ohio.
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Low Moor, Clinton County, Iowa, was named from the mill or place where the rails were made that were laid through this place when the railroad was first built.
Lucan, Redwood County, Minnesota, was laid out in 1902 by the Western Towa Lot Company. The name of the post office is Rock. The town derived its name from Lucan near Dublin, Ireland.
Ludden, Dickey County, North Dakota, was named by Ogden Lovell, who owned a farm near the place for David Ludden, an early settler, who had con- ferred many favors on Mr. Lovell and the pioneers of the vicinity, during the perils that surrounded them from Indians and the rigors of the winters. It was platted by the Western Town Lot Company in 1886.
Lusk, Converse County, Wyoming, was named for Frank S. Lusk, the owner of the land on which the town site was located by him. He was a well known ranchman of Wyoming and subsequently a prominent railroad con- tractor.
Laverne, Kossuth County, Iowa, was platted in 1881, under the name of Whit- man, for one of the officers of the Chicago and Northwestern Railway Com- pany, by the Western Town Lot Company. A portion of the town was at one time called Vernon, but that was changed by the legislature of the state. The name Luverne came from Luverne in Rock County, Minnesota, and that was named for the daughter of one of the proprietors of the town site.
Luzerne, Benton County, Iowa, was named by Isaac B. Howe, the owner of the town site, from the place in Switzerland.
Lynch, Boyd County Nebraska, was named for J. A. Lynch, the oldest settler in the place.
Lyndhurst, Shawano County, Wisconsin. This name was made up for this place. It has no specific meaning
Lyons, Clinton County, Iowa, was named by early French missionaries because to them, of its fancied resemblance to the site of Lyons, in France. It was laid out in 1837 by Elisha Buel, who previous had a store near the town just below Lyons that was called New York, and that eventually became Clinton. It was at this point that the first projected trans-Mississippi rail- road bridge was to be erected. From the west end of that bridge all rail- road trains were to depart for all points west of the river. The present name of the river is a corruption of the Algonquin Indian name Meche-86- be. 'Father Laval, an early missionary on the lower part of the river, cor- rupted the name to Mich-is-pi; he was followed by Father Labatt, also a missionary, who spelled it Mis-is-pi, he was followed by Father Jacques Mar- quette, who spelled it Mis-sis-pi; others followed with Mis-siss-pi until the purchase of Louisiana by the United States in 1803-4 when the present spelling was adopted; it has remained unchanged from that time to this. Lytles, LaCrosse County, Wisconsin, was named for an early settler.
Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, was named by Gov. Doty for James Madison, ex-president of the United States.
Magnolia, Rock County, Wisconsin, was named from the township and that was named indirectly for Dr. Pierre Magnol, the noted botanist, for whom a species of the Magnolia tree was named. The post office is called Cainville from the name of a resident family.
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Manyaska, Martin County, Minnesota, was platted by the Western Town Lot Company in 1899. The name is Sioux Indian, meaning "silver" or "mon- ey." Literally it means "white iron, " manza, "iron" and ska "white." Some Indian scholars have claimed that the word means "many lakes." Maple Park, Kane County, Illinois, was named from a grove of hard or sugar maple trees (Acer saccharum) nearby. Its original name was Lodi and it was named from the Napoleonic battlefield or its bridge.
Maple Ridge, Delta County, Michigan, was so named because of and from a nearby elevation that was heavily covered by sugar or hard maple (Acer saccharum) trees.
Maple River Junction, Carroll County, Iowa, was named from the nearby river. The river was named because of the groves of soft maple (Acer sacchari- num) trees that lined its banks, when it was first known to the whites.
Mapleton, Monona County, Iowa, was named by W. H. Wilsey, from a heavy growth of soft maple (Acer saccharinum) trees growing on the banks of the nearby Maple river .. The river took its name from the fact that it was lined with soft maple (Acer saccharinum) trees. Its first name was East Mapleton.
Maplewood, Cook County, Illinois, was named because of the great number of soft maple (Acer saccharinum) trees, that had been planted near here by the early settlers.
Maquoketa, Jackson County, Iowa, was named from the river, on the south bank of the south fork on which it is located. The word comes from the Iowa Indian and means "Bear River." The place was formerly called Springfield. This name was given it by J. E. Goodenow, who in 1838, moved here from New York State. The town was laid out in 1838 by J. E. Goodenow and named Springfield from the city in Massachusetts. The name was changed in 1856.
Maribel, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, was named from some nearby medicinal springs. The waters of these springs are believed to be of great value in the treatment of certain diseases and their worth seems to be known far beyond their location. The name has no real significance, as it was manufactured for the springs.
Marathon, Buena Vista County, Iowa, was named from the battlefield in Greece. Marengo, McHenry County, Illinois, was named from the historic battlefield in Italy. Before this name was given it, the village was called Pleasant Grove from a nearby grove of trees.
Marathon City, Marathon County, Wisconsin, was named from the battlefield in Greece.
Marenisco, Gogebic County, Michigan. This village was platted by the Mil- waukee, Lake Shore and Western Railway Company. The name of this place was asserted by nearly every person who was asked about it, to be Indian, and if not fully Indian as it stands, then that it was based on In- dian words, and by elision, corruption, transliteration, translation, or in some other way, had been constructed from an Indian base. It was as- serted to have come from the Chippewa (Ojibway) Pottawatomie, Winne- bago, Oneida, Sioux and other tongues, and still no person was able to defi- nitely locate it. The most expert Indian scholars were applied to, and while all were certain the word came from the Indian, none could place its
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parentage. Not less than one hundred letters were written by the com- piler in his endeavor to find its origin and meaning, if it had any. At the end of this correspondence, which covered the entire northwest as well as parts of the east, and extended over a year, not a glimmer of definite information was procured. Every person whose attention was called to the case, with great good nature and courtesy, endeavored to find and sup- ply the facts needed, but all failed, and in the end the problem was no nearer solution than it was when the search began.
By bare accident the compiler learned that Emmet H. Scott, of La Porte, Indiana, in an early day had owned a considerable tract of timber land in the vicinity where this town now stands. Mr. Scott was written to, and being in Italy, the letter followed him there, whence came the solution of the mystery!
As the principal land owner of the vicinity, Mr. Scott was asked to name the post office (when one came to be established) and while thinking of a suitable name, he happened to see his wife's name written out in full- Mary Relief Niles Scott. The thought came to him to manufacture a name out of her name, and thus honor her, and perhaps, as well mystify the generations to come! He took the letters "MA" from the Mary, "RE" from the Relief; the "NI" from the Niles and the "SCO" from the Scott, and putting them together he had the word, Ma-re-ni-sco, and the name for the post office and town, and the subject that had caused such a length of search and mass of correspondence.
It is needless to say the "mystery" connected with the origin and con- struction of the name, has for many years given Mr. Scott much amusement and satisfaction.
Marinette, Marinette County, Wisconsin, was named for Marinette Jacobs, the daughter of a semi-civilized Indian chief. The name is a composite of the names Marie Antoinette.
Marion, Waupaca County, Wisconsin, was named by B. F. Dorr for General Francis Marion of the Revolution.
Marna, Faribault County, Minnesota. This name is a corruption of Marne, the name of a province and a river in France.
Marshall, Lyon County, Minnesota, was named by Colonel James H. Howe, of Kenosha, Wisconsin, to honor Chief Justice John Marshall of the Supreme Court of the United States. It was platted by the Winona and St. Peter Railroad Company in 1879.
Marshalltown, Marshall County, Iowa, was named by the Iowa Town Lot and Land Company, from Marshall, Michigan, whence had come H. Anson, John Childs and others, who in 1853 laid out the town. The name was changed to its present form, as there already was a Marshall in Henry County, Iowa.
Marshfield, Wood County, Wisconsin. This place was named by John J. Marsh, of Haverhill, Massachusetts, for his uncle, Samuel Marsh. The land on which the town is located, was part of the lands granted by the United States to the Fox River Improvement Company for the purpose of estab- lishing a waterway between Green Bay and the Mississippi River. Horatio Seymour, Ezra and A. B. Cornell, Erastus Corning and William Allen But- ler, all of New York State and Samuel Marsh, of Massachusetts, were
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among the original owners of the place. The legend that this place was named from Marshfield, the home of Daniel Webster, in Massachusetts, is a myth, propogated in very recent years. We are indebted to the Hon. W. H. Upham, ex-governor of Wisconsin, for the facts in this case. The Gov. ernor has been nearly a life-long resident and one of the most prominent business men of the place.
Martland, Fillmore County, Wisconsin. Was platted by the Pioneer Town Site Company in 1889 and named for Martland Danielson, an early settler of the place.
Mason City, Cerro Gordo County, Iowa. John B. Long in 1851 settled here and named his farm and the grove in which his home was built, "Masonic Grove," in honor of the Freemasons. He and others laid out a village and called it "Shiboleth," a word well known to Freemasons and read- ers of the Bible. In 1854 Mr. Long bought out his partners in the town site, and renamed it for his son, Mason Long. In 1855 the last part of the name was dropped and "City" substituted therefor.
Mastodon, Iron County, Michigan, was named from the Mastodon iron mine that was opened here. It was named because bones of an extinct mas- todon were found when sinking the shaft for the mine.
Maurice, Sioux County, Iowa. Was platted by the Western Town Lot Company in 1882 and was named for Count Maurice of Nassau and Prince of Orange, son of William, the Silent, count of Holland, Nassau and Orange. Maurice succeeded his father and was one of the leaders for many years in the war- fare with Spain.
Mayfair, Cook County, Illinois, was named from a novel in which this name is used to represent a supposed portion of London, England, and of the people who live in it. The original name of the town was Montrose and was named for the place in Scotland.
Maywood, Cook County, Illinois, was named by Colonel W. T. Nichols, one of the owners of the original town site, for his daughter "May." To this name he added "wood," because of the forest (woods) in this locality. The town was laid out by the Proviso Land Company. This was one of a very few corporations that ever were chartered by the State of Illinois to deal in lands. The company is still in existence.
McFarlands, Marquette County, Michigan, was named for A. McFarland, a pio- neer farmer of the vicinity.
Marshland, Buffalo County, Wisconsin, was named from a nearby fertile field that once had been marshy land.
Midland, Stanley County, South Dakota. Was named from a nearby postoffice, and that was so named because it was supposed to be about half way between the Missouri and the south fork of the Cheyenne River.
McHenry, McHenry County, Illinois, was named from the county, and that was named for General William McHenry, a prominent officer in the Black Hawk war.
McMillan, Marathon County, Wisconsin, was named for B. F. McMillan, a lumber man of Wisconsin,
McNaughton, Oneida County, Wisconsin, was named for a sawmill owner at this point. It was formerly called . Hazelhurst from the great growth of hazel (Corylus Americana) growing here. Hurst or hoorst is German for a "grove."
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Meadow Grove, Madison County, Nebraska, was named from a grove of cotton- wood (Populus Canadensis) that stood in a meadow near the site of the town.
Mechanicsville, Cedar County, Iowa, was named by John Onstat and D. H. Comstock, the original owners of the town site, because the first four set- tlers were mechanics.
Medary, LaCrosse County, Wisconsin. This place was originally called Winona Junction, from the fact that at this point a junction was formed with a rail- road that ran to Winona, Minnesota. Its present name was given in honor of Samuel Medary, once governor of the state of Kansas, who emigrated from this place.
Medina, Outagamie County, Wisconsin, was named from Medina, Ohio, and that was named from the city in Arabia.
Medina Junction, Winnebago County, Wisconsin, was named from its near- ness to and relation to the village of Medina.
Melrose Park, Cook County, Illinois, was named from Melrose Abbey in Scot- land. Its original name was Melrose; the addition of the word "park" was for the purpose of (supposed) "euphony."
Melvin, Custer County, South Dakota, was named by Charles Perkins for his son, Melvin Perkins. Charles Perkins was an early settler here.
. Menasha, Winnebago County, Wisconsin, is from an Indian word, meaning "thorn" or "island."
Mendota, Dane County, Wisconsin. Its first name was Westport, but when a state hospital was located here, the name was changed by Dr. A. McDill to its present name. The name is from an Indian word meaning, in one Indian tongue "the junction of two trails," and in another, "the mouth of a river."
Menominee, Menominee County, Michigan, was named from the Indian tribe "the rice eaters," and refers to the wild rice that before the white man came to Wisconsin, formed the only vegetable diet of this tribe.
Mequon, Ozaukee County, Wisconsin, is an Indian word, meaning "ladle," or "feather." It was first used for a river in Wisconsin because of a bond in the river resembling a paddle, or as some thought, a feather.
Mercer, Iron County, Wisconsin, was named for General Hugh Mercer of the Revolution, by a man of this name who lived here when the town was estab- lished. This has caused many to think the town was named for the local man.
Meriden, Steel County, Minnesota, was named by F. J. Stephens, its founder, from Meriden, Connecticut.
Merrimac, Sauk County, Wisconsin, was named from the river in New Hamp- shire and Massachusetts.
Merriman, Cherry County, Nebraska, was named for John Merriman, a train master in charge of the construction train, while the road was being built through this locality.
Metropolitan, Dickinson County, Michigan, was named from the iron ore mine of that name that was opened here. The name was expressive of the hope of its founders as to its magnitude and value.
Michigamme, Marquette County, Michigan. Is an Indian word, meaning "large lake" and was adopted as the name for the town from the nearby lake. 1
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Midway, LaCrosse County, Wisconsin. J. B. Canterbury, its founder, called it Halfway Creek, because it was located on a stream of that name. When the railway was built through the village, for brevity it was given its pres- ent name. At one time it was called Charleston, for Charles Nichols, who once owned the town.
Middle Creek Stock Yards, Butte County, South Dakota. This name merely indicates a point that is shown on the time table of the road. The name has no historical significance. The place is merely a point for loading live stock.
Milford, Brown County, Minnesota. The first sawmill in this part of the state was located here, and a ferry established on the Minnesota River nearby. The township was named Milford from these two facts, and the name of the - town naturally followed.
Millbrig, Jo Daviess County, Illinois, was named by George Bell, the owner- of a saw mill built near here in an early day.
Miller, Hand Coonty, South Dakota, was named by and for Henry Miller, the first settler in this place and founder of the town.
Millerton, Butler County, Nebraska, was named for William P. Miller, one of the oldest setlers in this part of the state, who had a farm and fine home near this town site.
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