USA > Illinois > Cook County > Chicago > A History of the Origin of the Place Names Connected with the Chicago & North Western and. > Part 14
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O'Neill, Holt County, Nebraska, was laid out in 1899 by the Pioneer Town Site Company. The town was named for General John O'Neill, the Irish patriot, who took a large colony of his countrymen, from Scranton, Penn- sylvania, and settled them in the vicinity. He ordered that no spiritous liquors should be sold in his part of the domain, and that prohibition still obtains.
Onslow, Jones County, Iowa, was named by W. T. Shaw, the owner of the town site, for an ex-Governor of the State of Maine.
Ontario, Story County, Iowa, was named by H. Scott, the owner of the town site, from Ontario, Richland County, Ohio, where he once lived.
Oostburg, Sheboygar County, Wisconsin, was named by Peter Doane from Oostburg in Holland, whence Mr. Doane and many of the settlers in the vicinity had emigrated.
Oralabor, Polk County, Iowa, was named by John Albrecht, the owner of the land where the village was established. Its significance if it ever had any seems to be lost.
Oral, Fall River County, South Dakota, was named from a nearby postoffice, that was named Oral from the word that means "uttered through the mouth," and was selected to show that from the time the place was so named "it would be a place that would be mentioned or spoken about in place of merely being pointed at or known by sign language." The place was formerly known as Cheyenne Pit.
Orange City, Sioux County, Iowa, was named for William I, the Silent, Count of Nassau, Prince of Orange and finally Count of Holland, by Henry Hos- pers who laid out the town in 1872, and who wished to honor the Holland- ers who early settled in this county.
Ordway, Brown County, South Dakota, was named for N. G. Ordway, once Gov- ernor of Dakota Territory. The town was platted by the Western Town Lot Company in 1880.
Ore Dock Junction, Ashland County, Wisconsin, is merely the railroad operat- ing name for a junction point, and has no significance.
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HISTORY OF THE PLACE NAMES OF THE NORTH WESTERN LINE
Oregon, Dane County, Wisconsin, was named from the township and that was named from the State of Oregon. The meaning of the word is in dis- pute. Some authorities claim it was derived from Origanum, the botanical name of a plant; others claim it was derived from the Spanish Oregones, which was a name given the Indians inhabiting the region, by a jesuit priest, and that the word means "big eared men."
Orin Junction, Converse County, Wyoming, was named from the given name of Orin Hughitt of Genoa, Cayuga County, New York, an uncle of the president of the Chicago & North Western railway. The word "Junction" was added to the man's name because the place became the junction of two railroads. Osier, Delta County, Michigan. This name was suggested by the abundance of the Osier, (Salix discolor) a variety of willow, that were found here when the town was located.
Otis, Linn County, Iowa, was named for Harrison Gray Otis of Massachusetts. Owasa, Hardin County, Iowa, This name is a corruption of the Sac Indian word "owasse"-meaning a "bear."
Owatonna, Steele County, Minnesota, was named from the river. The word is Sioux Indian and meant "straight." It was applied to the river in derision, as it is about the crookedest river in the state. The Indian word was spelled O-wa-ton-nia.
Owanka, Pennington County, South Dakota. This place was originally named Wicota, which is a Sioux Indian word, meaning "a crowd." That name was dropped and the place is now named Owanka, which is a Sioux In- dian word meaning "a camp" or a "good camping ground-(place.)" Oro, Menominee County, Michigan, was named from the Spanish word mean- ing "gold," because it was thought that metal had been found here.
Oronoco, Olmsted County, Minnesota. Was named from the Orinoco River in Venezuela, but in some now unknown way, the name was misspelled when the plat of the village was recorded.
Orson, Harrison County, Iowa, was laid out in 1899 by the Western Town Lot Company. Before the coming of the railroad, a nearby postoffice had this name, and it was translated to the new location. It was named for Orson Pratt, a prominent Mormon church official.
Osborne, Iron County, Wisconsin, was named for A. L. Osborne, who had the management of extensive sawmills at Giles, Wisconsin, and was General Manager of the Hemlock Company and of the Montreal River Lumber Company at Giles, Wisconsin.
Oshawa, Nickollet County, Minnesota. Oshawa is an Indian word meaning "ferry him over," or "across the river."
Oshkosh, Winnebago County, Wisconsin, was named for a Winnebago Indian Chief. The word means "nail" "claw" or "horny part of the foot of beasts or birds." This name for the town was suggested by Robert Grignon, a French trader. Other names were suggested and finally to settle the question, an election was held and Oshkosh was adopted by the vote of Grignon's Indians.
Palatine, Cook County, Illinois. The name was transferred from the political division in Germany, by the early settlers who were immigrants from the Palatinate. The town was laid out by Darius or Joel Wood who came here from Smithfield, Pennsylvania in 1846. Darius Wood died at this place in 1907.
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HISTORY OF THE PLACE NAMES OF THE NORTH WESTERN LINE
Panola, Iron County, Michigan. Is an Indian word meaning "cotton." For this locality it was borrowed from a place in Florida, and was adopted by W. B. Linsley for this place.
Parker, Turner County, South Dakota, was named for the family name of the wife of one of the officers of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad. Parkersburg, Butler County, Iowa, was named by J. P. Parker, an early hotel keeper here, for Nathan H. Parker, of Davenport, Iowa, a noted writer in the 50s and 60s of the early history of the North West and of guide books, etc., etc.
Park Ridge, Cook County, Illinois. Its first name was Brickton, but for euphony, that name was dropped and the present one substituted. The present name was applied, because the site of the village is on a ridge.
Parrish, Langlade County, Wisconsin, was named for a long-time Director, of the Milwaukee, Lake Shore and Western Railroad, the first railroad that was built through this place.
Partridge, Marquette County, Michigan, was named from a nearby stream, and that was named because of the great number of "drumming partridges" (ruffed grouse) the engineers found there when the land was first surveyed. Paulding, Ontonagon County, Michigan. Paulding was named for John Pauld- ing, who assisted in the capture of Major Andre of Revolutionary infamy. Paullina, O'Brien County, Iowa, was named for the Paullina Brothers, early settlers and large land owners here when the town was established. The town was laid out in 1882 by the Western Town Lot Company.
Paxton, Redwood County, Minnesota, was platted in 1879 by the Western Town Lot Company, and was named for the botanist, Sir Joseph Paxton, of Eng- land, who was prominent in promoting emigration to the United States.
Pecatonica, Winnebago County, Illinois. The town was named from the river on which it is located. This was named from a corruption of the Indian word pickatolica, the Indian name of a species of fish.
Peebles, Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin, was named for and by Ezra Peebles, the first owner of the town site.
Pelican, Oneida County, Wisconsin. The village was named for the lake on which it is located. The lake was named because of the "pelicans" (Pelican orythrornynchus) that abounds on the lake every fall. That an Indian Chief who lived on the lake, carried the same name in the In- dian tongue that the lake did, is doubtless a legend only, as no such Indian name can be found.
Pence, Iron County, Wisconsin, was platted 1890 by the Milwaukee, Lake Shore and Western Railway and named for Mr. Pence of Pence and Snyder of Minneapolis, Minnesota, who were early mine operators here.
Pensaukee, Oconto County, Wisconsin, is a corruption of the Ojibway (Chippe- wa) Indian word pindjsagi, meaning "inside the mouth of a river." It was named by F. B. Gardner, the original owner of the town site.
Pentoga, Iron County, Michigan, was named by parties operating a mill here. The name was manufactured and has no meaning.
Peoria, Peoria County, Illinois, is a corrupted form of an Indian tribal name signifying "carriers" or "packers." Its earliest name of the town seems to have been La Ville de Maillet, and afterwards was called Fort Clark.
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HISTORY OF THE PLACE NAMES OF THE NORTH WESTERN LINE
Fort Creve Couer of LaSalle and Tonti, was located here or near here. The city is on the Illinois river which was discovered by Robert Cavalier, Sieuer de La Salle in 1670.
Perkins, Delta County, Michigan, was named for Josiah Perkins, the earliest settler here.
Perronville, Menominee County, Michigan, was named for M. Perron, a "job- ber" and trader at this point.
Peshtigo, Marinette County, Wisconsin, was named from the river. The word is Indian and means-"wild goose river."
Petersburg, Boone County, Nebraska, was laid out in 1887 by the Pioneer Town Site Company, and was named for John Peters of Albion, Nebraska, who was United States Collector of Internal Revenue, and who owned the land on which the town site was located.
Peterson, Clay County, Iowa, was named for Adlie Peterson, the original owner of the town site. The town was laid out in 1881 by the Western Town Lot Company.
Peterson Avenue, Cook County, Illinois. The avenue on which this station was established, was named for P. S. Peterson, a prominent tree grower, whose nursery was on this street. The station was named from the street.
Potersville, Clinton County, Iowa, was named from the family of John Peters, who early settled in the vicinity. The town was once called Quigley, for the once owner of the land on which the railroad station is located.
Peterson's, Delta County, Michigan, was named for Atle Peterson, a farmer of the vicinity.
Piedmont, Meade County, South Dakota, was laid out in 1890 by the Pioneer Town Site Company. It was named from its position at the foot (base) of a mountain, by Captain Gardner who owned a nearby ranch.
Pierce, Pierce County, Nebraska, was named from the county, which was named for Franklin Pierce, once president of the United States.
Pierre, Hughes County, South Dakota, was named from the old American Fur and Trading Company's post, Fort Pierre, which was opposite on the west bank of the Missouri River. That was named in honor of Pierre Choteau, Jr., of St. Louis, Missouri, who was for many years interested in the fur trade with the western Indians. The town was platted in 1880 by the Western Town Lot Company. See Fort Pierre in this book for a more lengthy mention of Fort Pierre.
Paxton, Redwood County, Minnesota. Paxton was named from the translitera- tion of an Indian word. It means "standing" or "dead water."
Phillip, Stanley County, South Dakota. Was named for James (Scotty) Phillip, a Scotchman from Morayshire, Scotland; ex-Senator for the Twenty-fifth Senatorial District of South Dakota; was a ranchman, stock dealer and raiser, and has a herd of one hundred buffalo (Bos Americana) six miles north of Fort Pierre. He has been on "the plains" since he was sixteen years old, and was a cowboy and pioneer in the Black Hills. He was in the service of the United States Quartermaster's Department, and has been a banker, merchant, county commissioner and real estate agent.
Pierson, Woodbury County, Iowa. The town was named for Andrew Pierson, an early settler of the vicinity. His name was also given to a tributary of the Sioux River that heads near this place.
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HISTORY OF THE PLACE NAMES OF THE NORTH WESTERN LINE
Pilger, Stanton County, Nebraska, was laid out in 1886 by the Pioneer Town Site Company and was named for Adam Pilger, the owner of the land on which the town was platted.
Pino Creek, Trempeleau County, Wisconsin. The town was named from the stream it is located on. That was so named because of the numerous white pine trees that were found along its banks when the whites first settled there.
Pine Island, Goodhue County, Minnesota. The village was named in 1855 by Moses Jewell an early settler, from the fact that .when he came here he found a small island with a solitary large white pine tree growing on it.
Pine Ridge, Delta County, Michigan. The place was named Pine Ridge because it is located in a pine forest that grew on a high ridge of land.
Pisgah, Harrison County, Iowa, was laid out in 1899 by the Western Town Lot Company and was named from the mountain in Palestine that is mentioned in the Bible. It was named by the Mormons during their hejira.
Plains, Marquette County, Michigan. The place was named from the barren sand plains that surround the town site.
Plainview, Wabasha County, Minnesota. Its earliest name was Centerville. In 1856 the present name was substituted, because the town was located on a high prairie, from which the country was for many miles in "plain view" (sight.)
Plainview, Pierce County, Nebraska. This village was laid out in 1880 by the Pioneer Town Site Company and was named from the fact that it was in plain view from all sides for many miles.
Planks, Olmsted County, Minnesota. The village was named from the name of a "country tavern" that in an early day was kept here by John A. Planks. Platteville, Grant County, Wisconsin. Platteville was named by John H. Roun- tree, the original owner of the town site, from a nearby stream, that the French called plate meaning "dull," "flat," "shallow," a term they thought applicable to the stream.
Platte River, Douglas County, Nebraska. This station was named from the river. That from the French plate, meaning "dull," "shallow," "flat," a term singularly applicable to this river as it is wide and very shallow.
Pleasant Prairie, Kenosha County, Wisconsin. The place was named from the township, and that was given as a descriptive name suggestive of the locality.
Plum Creek, Kossuth County, Iowa. The village was named from a nearby stream; that was named from the fact that its banks were thickly covered with wild plum trees.
Plymouth, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. This village was named in 1845 by H. P. Davidson, from Plymouth, Massachusetts, whence ne had emigrated. At an earlier day it was called Springfield.
Polk City, Polk County, Iowa, was named from the county. The county was named for ex-President James K. Polk.
Poplar Grove, Boone County, Illinois, was named in 1845, from the fact that the first building here erected was in a large grove of "poplar" (Populus monilifera) trees.
Port Edwards, Wood County, Wisconsin. Port Edwards was named from a boat landing on the nearby Wisconsin River. The landing was owned by Jonathan Edwards, an early settler who operated a ferry here.
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HISTORY OF THE PLACE NAMES OF THE NORTH WESTERN LINE
Porter, Yellow Medicine County, Minnesota. Its earlier name was Harsted. When that was dropped it was named for L. C. Porter, an early settler and mill owner of Minnesota. It was platted by the Winona and St. Peter Railroad Company in 1881. It was at one time called Lone Tree from a single large elm tree that grew nearby.
Portland Junction, Lawrence County, South Dakota. This name merely indi- cates a point that is shown on the timetable of the road. The name has no historical significance, as it is nearby a railroad junction point in the mining country around Deadwood. It was named from the nearby Portland gold mine.
Portland, Lawrence County, South Dakota, was named from a nearby gold mine. The mine was named from the city in Maine, the old home of one. of the principal owners of the mine.
Port Washington, Ozaukee County, Wisconsin. This place was named for George Washington. The original name of the place was Wisconsin City, and was given it in 1835 by "General" Wooster Harrison. It was then changed to Washington City. In 1844 this name was changed by George C Daniels to Port Washington, and has retained it to the present time.
Powell, Iron County, Wisconsin, was named for Major J. W. Powell, once of Illinois, the geologist and explorer.
Powder River, Natrona County, Wyoming. This village was named from Pow- der River. The river was named from the dark powder like sand that was · found along its banks.
Powers, Menominee County, Michigan, was named for Edward Powers, a civil engineer engaged in constructing the railroad here. He afterwards became notorious as a professed "rain maker." At an early date the place was called Menominee River Junction, because here was the junction between the main line, and the Menominee River Branch.
Proviso, Du Page County, Illinois. This name was taken from the Wilmot's proviso celebrated in the political history of the United States. When the bill for the purchase of a portion of Mexico was before congress in 1846 David Wilmot introduced an amendment to the bill to the effect that slav- ery should forever be prohibited in the territory in question. He proposed to make that a stipulated condition and that condition received the name of Wilmot's proviso.
Preparation, Monona County, Iowa. A settlement was made at this place about 1858 by a body of seceders from the Mormon church, under the lead of one Charles B. Thompson, who styled himself the Chief Apostolic Pastor and Evangelical Bishop. They called themselves Conjeprezites, and the relig- ious order Conjprezon. They believed that the Bible had in a measure been done away with, by new revelations made by the voice of Baneemy, through the medium of the Chief Apostolic Bishop. This place had at one time a population of some six or eight hundred, but they finally got into difficulties over the ownership of the property, and the organization broke up. As they believed their existence in this world was only a preparation for the world to come, they named their town Preparation. The old town was abandoned and a new town laid out by the Western Town Lot Company in 1899 and given the old name.
Preston, Jackson County, Iowa, was named from the adjacent lake. The lake- was named by John C. Fremont, for an early friend of his in South Caro-
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HISTORY OF THE PLACE NAMES OF THE NORTH WESTERN LINE
lina, Governor and U. S. Senator Preston. J. N. Nicolett was here with Fremont in 1838-9 and they named many lakes and streams in what is now North and South Dakota.
Princeton, Green Lake County, Wisconsin, was named by R. C. Treat, from Princeton, Worcester County Massachusetts, which was named for Rev. Thomas Prince, pastor of the Old South Church, Boston, Mass.
Pulaski, Brown County, Wisconsin, was named for the Polish patriot, Count Casimer Pulaski, who was a friend of the Americans in the Revolutionary War.
Quarry, Marshall County, Iowa, was named by Isaac B. Howe, from a nearby quarry.
Quinnesec, Dickinson County, Michigan. Quinnesec is an Indian word meaning "where the river forms smoke," and was given to this village from the falls in the Quinnesec River at this point. It was named by John L. Buell. The Indian word was pronounced as it is spelled, be-quen-se-nec.
Quinn, Pennington County, South Dakota, was named for Michael Quinn, a prominent "ranch man" of the vicinity.
Racine, Racine County, Wisconsin, was named in 1834 by Captain Gilbert Knapp, the founder, for Racine, the French writer, and also because the word is French for "root," which was the meaning of the words the Indians applied to the river Racine is on. In an early day this town was called Port Gilbert.
Racine Junction, Racine County, Wisconsin, was named from its relation to the city of Racine, it being a junction of two railroads that cross each other near that city.
Radcliffe, Hardin County, Iowa, was laid out in 1884 by the Western Town Lot Company. It was named from a part of the name of a celebrated old novel -"The Heir of Radcliffe."
Radford, Ontonagon County, Michigan, was named by Stephen Radford for the Radford family, who were large timber owners around Oshkosh, Wis.
Radnor, Peoria County, Illinois, was named for the township the village is in, and that was named from Radnor, a village in Delaware County, Penn- sylvania, which was named from a town in Wales.
Ralston, Carroll County, Iowa, was named for W. C. Ralston, of California, who was much in the eyes of the world when this place was established.
Ramsey, Gogebic County, Michigan, was named for Honorable Alexander Ram- say, war governor and afterwards United States Senator for Minnesota ..
Randall, Hamilton County, Iowa, was named for Samuel J. Randall, the well known politician and ex-secretary of the United States Treasury.
Rapid City, Pennington County, South Dakota. The part around the railroad station was laid out by the Pioneer Town Site Company in 1887. The older part of the town was named on February 25, 1876, by John R. Brennan. The name was taken from the rapid creek that ran through the location. It was named by the trappers and hunters from many "rapids" in the stream. As the town was expected to make a rapid growth, it was thought that the name would be appropriate for the town.
"Ravenswood, Cook County, Illinois. The name was formed by prefacing the name (Wood) . of the original owner of the land by the word "ravens" and that was suggested by the thousands of crows (ravens) that formerly made their home near here.
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HISTORY OF THE PLACE NAMES OF THE NORTH WESTERN LINE
Ravinia, Lake County, Illinois. Ravinia is a transliteration of the word "ravine," and was sugested by the many ravines that are near this place. Rawhide, Washington County, Nebraska, was named from Rawhide Creek. The creek was named from the fact that a man was flayed upon its banks by a party of Pawnee Indians.
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Raymond, Clark County, South Dakota. The place was named for J. M. Ray- mond, one of the engineers engaged in building the railroad through the place. It was laid out in 1883 by the Western Town Lot Company.
Redfield, Spink County, South Dakota, was named for J. B. Redfield, one of the oldest and most valued officers of the Chicago and Northwestern Railway Company. The town was laid out in 1880 by the Western Town Lot Com- pany.
Red Granite, Waushara County, Wisconsin. The town was named because of the presence of much red colored granite (rock) in the vicinity.
Redwood Falls, Redwood County, Minnesota. The place was named from the falls in the Redwood River, the name of the river is a translation of the Dakota (Sioux) name referring to the abundant growth along the river of the "cornel" (Cornus amonum) (Kinnikinick) a bush with a red bark.
Reedsburg, Sauk County, Wisconsin. Reedsburg was named for D. C. Reed, one of the earliest settlers, and who, in 1847, built the first mill in the place.
Reedville, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, was named for H. G. H. Reed, a prom- inent citizen of Wisconsin, who was chief engineer in building the railroad through this country.
Bee Heights, Hand County, South Dakota. This village was named from the nearby Ree hills. These were named for the last syllable in the name of the Ari-karee (Ree) Indians, who, in an early day, frequented these parts. The Indian word refers to "horn." The Ree Indians occupied these hills in spite of the Sioux. The village was once called Bramhall. These "Ree" Indians were allied to the Pawnees and the Wichitas, who lived west of the Missouri River and south of the present limits of South Dakota. The name was spelled Arickaree, Aricaree, Riccaree, and as above. The common appellation among the traders was "Ree."
Renwick, Humboldt County, Iowa, was named by Frank and Smith, the orig- inal owners of the land. The name is merely a fanciful one and has no significance. The town was laid out in 1882 by the Western Town Lot Com- pany.
Republic, Marquette County, Michigan. Was named by and for the Republic Iron Company that had large iron ore mining works here. Originally it was called Smith's mine, for the prospector who discovered the first iron ore here.
Revere, Redwood County, Minnesota, was named by C. C. Wheeler in honor of Paul Revere of Revolutionary fame. It was platted by the Winona and St. Peter Railroad Company in 1886.
Rewey, Iowa County, Wisconsin, was named for J. W. Rewey, the original owner of the town site.
Rhinelander, Oneida County Wisconsin, was named in honor of F. W. Rhine- lander, of New York City, who was for many years the president of the company that built the road through this place. It was platted in 1882 by the Milwaukee, Lake Shore and Western Railway.
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HISTORY OF THE PLACE NAMES OF THE NORTH WESTERN LINE
Rhodes, Trempeleau County, Wisconsin, was named for the owner of the land on which the village is located.
Richmond, McHenry County, Illinois, was in 1844 named by C. G. Cotting from Richmond, Vermont, whence he emigrated.
Ricketts, Crawford County, Iowa, was laid out by the Western Town Lot Com. pany in 1899 and named for an early settler.
Richards, Fremont County, Wyoming, was named for W. A. Richards, United States Indian Commissioner, Washington, D. C.
Ridgefield, McHenry County, Illinois, was named by J. R. Mack on account of ridges nearby.
Ridgeland, Cook County, Illinois. When laid out, the ground around the town site was flooded and one of the proprietors suggested that what was needed here more than anything else, was a ridge of land on which to put the rail- road buildings. This fancy was accepted as a name for the village.
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