USA > Illinois > Cook County > Chicago > A History of the Origin of the Place Names Connected with the Chicago & North Western and. > Part 7
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Cherry Valley, Winnebago County, Illinois, was named by Edward Fletcher, the original owner of the town site, from Cherry Valley, N. Y .; it had sev- eral names, viz., Grabtown, Graball and Butler, before the present name was given it.
Chester, Olmsted County, Minnesota, is an elision of the word "Rochester," It is the first station west of Rochester.
Chester, Dodge County, Wisconsin, was named from the township it was located in. The township was named from Chester in Hampden County, Mass., and this was named from Chester, in England.
Chicago Highlands, Cook County, Illinois. This name merely indicates a point that is shown on the time table of the road. The name has no historical significance. It is not much more than a name. It was a "boom town," but financial perils succeeded and today it is hoping for future prosperity.
Chicago, Cook County, IIlinois. In his "American Indian" E. M. Haines, who knew more about the North American Indian than any other writer of modern times, said "the same Indian word, or one having the same sound in different languages or dialects, have entirely different meanings." The word Chicago, or that which is essentially the same, is found in several (Indian) languages or dialects, with entirely different meanings. He says Chicago is understood to be an Indian word. What its meaning is, or, if it has any particular meaning, is in dispute. The word comes to us through the early French explorers as an Indian word from the language of the Algonquin group. Those who have confined their investigation to the Ojibway dialect, without reference to other dialects of the Algonquin language, reach the conclusion that it means "onion," "garlic," "leek" or "skunk." No one seems, previous to the rebuilding of Fort Dearborn (at what is now Chicago) in 1816, to have made any special inquiry as to the origin or meaning of the word. Col. S. A. Starrow, who visited the Fort in 1817 in a letter to Gen. Jacob Brown of the United States army, refers to the river as "the River Chicago," or in English, "Wild Onion River." Schoolcraft in his "Narrative of an expedition to the source of the Mississippi River in 1820" says the "banks of the river produce abundantly the wild species of "cepa" or "leek" and that this circum- stance led the Indians to name it the place of the wild leek." He then says: "Such is the origin of the term Chicago, which is derivative by elision and French annotation for the word Chi-kaug-ong." Kaug is the Algonquin name for the Hystrix or porcupine. It takes the prefix chi when applied to the Musela putorius (pole cat). . . . The penultimate ong denotes locality. The putorius is so named from the plant." Bishop Baraga in an appendix to his Ojibway dictionary, says that the word "Chicago'
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HISTORY OF THE PLACE NAMES OF THE NORTH WESTERN LINE
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is a word in the Cree dialect, a tribe of the Algonquin group called also Knistenos. From Chicago or Sikag, a skunk, a kind of pole cat, a word which at the local term makes Chicagok. The bishop, in his dictionary, - defines an onion in the Ojibway dialect as Kit-chi-ji-ga-gman-ji (French orthography). The definition of onion by Rev. Edward F. Wilson in his dictionary of the Ojibway dialect, is Kech-shi-gaug-uh-wunsch. He defines skunk as Zhe-gang. John Tanner, for thirty years a captive among the Ojibways defines skunk as she-gahg. He defines onion as she-gau-ga-winshe (skunk weed). The word Chicago, is first mentioned in early western his- tory by Hennepein, when speaking of the river. He says it was named by the savages Chi-cau-gou. The name Chi-ka-gou appears in a map by Fran- quelin in 1684, applied to a river putting into the Desplaines from the east at a point just above the Kankakee River; while at the head of Lake Michi- gan on this map is the word Che-ca-gou-mein-an. At a later date, what is now called the Desplaines River, was called by the early French explorers the River Che-ka-gou. Che-ca-gua was the name of a noted Sac Indian chief and meant in that dialect, "he that stands by the tree." In the Pottawatomie dialect the word Choe-ca-go meant "destitute," or "got none." At the time the word first appeared in this locality, the country about was inhabited by the Miamis Indian tribe, in whose language the word for skunk was se-kaw-kwaw. The Miamis, it seems, were succeeded here by the Pottawatomies. In a report written in 1695 at Michillimacinae where he then commanded La Mothe Cadillac wrote "The post of Chicagou comes next. This word signifies "the River of Garlic," because it pro- duces naturally without any cultivation a very large quantity of it." See Margry's Decouvertes et Etablissments, volume 5, page 123. This work is also quoted from by J. P. Dunn in his memoir of Father Gibault, who was potent in inducing the French residents of "The Illinois Country" to accept the rule of the Americans under George Rogers Clark. For a reference to Father Marquette's visits to Chicago, see record of Marquette County, Michigan, in this work. In early works the spelling of the word Chicago has been nearly infinite. A few samples thereof are as follows: Cheggego, Cheegago, Tzstchago, Stktschagko, Chirgago, Shecago, Shikkago, Shercaggo, Schenkakko, Zheekako, Ztschaggo, Chiccago, Checago, Chicawgo, Chikkago, Chiggago, Shakakko, Schuerkaigo, Psceschaggo, Stks chaga, Tschakko.
Choate, Ontonagon County, Michigan, was named for Leander Choate of Osh- kosh, Wis., who owned large tracts of timber land in this neighborhood.
Claremont, Dodge County, Minnesota. The village was named from the town- ship and that was named from the city of Claremont, Sullivan County, N. H., and that was named from the country seat of Clive, an English general.
Clarence, Cedar County, Iowa, was first called Onion Grove from a nearby natural grove. At the solicitation of the people of the town, the name was changed by the owners of the town site. The present name was sug- gested by Mr. J. Vandeventer, now (1907) of Knoxville, Tenn., from Clar- ence Hollow, a beautiful little village in Erie County, New York.
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Clark, Clark County, South Dakota. The station was named from the county. The county was named for Newton Clark, a Dakota territorial legislator of 1873. It was platted by the Western Town Lot Company in 1882. For a short time this place was called Clark Center.
Clarkson, Colfax County, Nebraska, was platted by the Pioneer Town Site Company in 1886, and was named for T. S. Clarkson, who lived at Schuyler, Neb., and who was afterwards postmaster at Omaha, Neb.
Olaywood, Oconto County, Wisconsin. This name was supposed to be descriptive of the location-clay soil in a deep wood.
Clearwater, Antelope County, Nebraska, was platted by the Pioneer Town Site Company in 1885 and was named from a nearby stream that was noted for the clearness of its water.
Clearemans, Menominee County, Michigan, was named for Jerry Cleareman, a "woodsman " of the place.
Clements, Redwood County, Minnesota, was platted by the Western Town Lot Company in 1902, and was named by and for P. O. Clements, an early settler. Cleveland, Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, was named for ex-President Grover Cleveland, by the merchants of the village. It was once called Centerville. Cliff House, Sauk County, Wisconsin, was named by W. H. Marsh, the builder of the hotel known as "The Cliff House," for the reason-the station and the hotel were located under the high "cliffs" of Devil's Lake.
Clinton, Clinton County, Iowa, was named in 1855 from the county, which was named for DeWitt Clinton, governor of New York and projector of the Erie canal. The original location of Clinton was called New York by J. M. Bartlett, who laid it out. The name was changed in 1855 by the Iowa Land Company, that had bought the town site and nearby land.
Clinton, Sheridan County, Nebraska, was platted by the Pioneer Town Site Company in 1894, and was named from Clinton, Iowa.
Clinton Junction, Rock County, Wisconsin, was named from the township, which by the legislature was named for De Witt Clinton, governor of New York State. It also happened that several of the early settlers here emigrated from Clinton, N. Y., and they procured the naming of the place for their old governor and from their old home. The station was once named Ogden for W. B. Ogden, president of the Chicago and North Western Rail- road.
Clintonville, Waupaca County, Wisconsin, was originally named Clinton, but ultimately was changed to the present name. The names came from De Witt Clinton, ex-governor of New York.
Clover Dale, Juneau County, Wisconsin. This is a mere fanciful descriptive name and has no special significance as to the place.
Clowry, Marquette County, Michigan, was named for Col. Robert C. Clowry, president of the Western Union Telegraph Company, which bought many telegraph poles at this point.
Clutier, Tama County, Iowa, was named for B. F. Clutier of Tama, Iowa. Clybourn Junction, Cook County, Illinois, was formerly called Clybourne Place, from one of the streets of Chicago. This was named for Peter Clybourne, one of the early settlers of Chicago. The word Place was dropped and the word Junction inserted, as it was the junction of two lines of railroad.
Clyman, Dodge County, Wisconsin, was named for Col. Joseph Clyman, a noted Indian fighter, in the early days of Wisconsin.
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Cobb, Iowa County, Wisconsin, was named by and for Amasa Cobb, a congress- man who secured the establishment of the postoffice at this place. It formerly was called Cross Plains, because it was at this point, the old territorial road, crossed the level plains or prairies.
Cobden, Brown County, Minnesota. The original name was North Branch, but in 1886 it was changed to Cobden for the English statesman.
Cody, Cherry County, Nebraska. This place was named for "Tom" Cody, a foreman of construction, while the railroad was being built. .
Coffee Siding, Converse County, Wyoming, was named for Charles F. Coffee, a banker and cattle raiser of the viewity.
College Avenue, Du Page County, Illinois. This name merely indicates a point that is shown on the time table of the road. The name has no historical significance.
Crawford Avenue, Cook County, Illinois. This name merely indicates a point that is shown on the time table of the road. The name has no historical significance.
Colo, Story County, Iowa, was named by John I. Blair from a child's pronuncia- tion of Carlo, the name of a favorite dog belonging to the owner of the land on which the station was located.
Colon, Seward County, Nebraska. This town was platted by the Pioneer Town Site Company in 1886, and was named for a postoffice that had been located here before there was any town. It was named from Colon, Mich., and that was named from the city in Columbia on the Isthmus of Panama.
Columbia, Brown County, South Dakota. The original name was Richmond, from Richmond, Ill. The present name was given the village by C. B. Peck and William Townsend, of Lansing, Mich., who were settled here before the railroad reached this place. Mr. Peck took the present name from the title of the well known "Hail Columbia." The Dakota or James River runs by this place and is the outlet of Lake T-ch-an-chi-ka-ha, as the Indians called it, or Sand Lake, as Nicollett and Fremont named it in 1838-9. Mr. Townsend built a flour mill on the river at the outlet of the lake before the railroad reached the place.
Combined Locks, Outagamie County, Wisconsin, was named from the canal locks in the Fox River at this point.
Comfrey, Brown County, Minnesota. This town was platted by the Western Town Lot Company, in 1902 and was named from a nearby postoffice. That was named by A. W. Pederson, the first postmaster from the plant Com- frey (Symphytini officinalis) that he had met with in his reading.
Commonwealth, Florence County, Wisconsin, was named from the Common- wealth Iron Mining Company's mine, which was located here.
Conde, Spink County, South Dakota, was platted by the Western Town Lot Company in 1886, and was named for the great Conde family of French history and especially for Louis I and Louis II, "The great Conde, " and for he who finally became Henry I.
Conover, Vilas County, Wisconsin, was named for Seth H. Conover of Plymouth, Wis., who owned a hotel and summer resort on a lake in the vicinity.
Conrad, Grundy County, Iowa. This station was named from Conrad's Grove, a large grove of trees nearby-that was named by and for John Conrad, the earliest settler in this grove. The town at one time was called Conrad's Grove.
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Cordova, Seward County, Nebraska. This place was platted under the name of Hunkins for an old settler of that name, by the Pioneer Town Site Com- pany in 1887. The station was finally named from the Anglicized spelling of the city in Spain.
Cornlea, Platte County, Nebraska, was platted by the Pioneer Town Site Com- pany in 1886. The name is supposed by mean "corn land" and was adopted because of the superior quality, for the culture of corn, of the soil in the vicinity.
. Connor's, Forest County, Wisconsin, was named for W. D. Connor, a promi- nent Wisconsin politician and owner of a nearby sawmill.
Cottonwood, Stanley County, South Dakota, was named from the nearby creek. The creek was so named because of the many cottonwood (Populus hetero- plylla) trees that grew on its banks when the town was established. This place was originally called Ingham for J. Ingham Gray. Ingham was his mother's name. The place was so named by a son to honor his father.
Correctionville, Woodbury County, Iowa, was in 1856 named by the surveyors who platted the town, from the fact that it was on the "correction line," a line that was established for the verification and correction of the land surveys.
Cortland, DeKalb County, Illinois, was named by S. L. Porter, from Cortland, N. Y., which was named for Pierre Van Cortlandt.
Cottage Grove, Dane County, Wisconsin, was named by W. C. Wells, from a cot- tage he built in a grove three miles northwest of this station.
Council Bluffs, Pottawatomie County, Iowa. The name "Council Bluffs" was taken from a series of high and precipitous hills or "bluffs" on the west bank of the Missouri River, in what is now Washington County, Nebraska, and many miles above the present city. These Nebraska bluffs were named "Council Bluffs" by Lewis and Clark, while on their journey up the Mis- souri River in 1804-5. They held a council here with the Indians, and since that time many councils were also held there. Maximilian, Prince of Weid (Germany) journeyed up the Missouri River in 1832-4 and in his journal said: "We passed the mouth of Boyer Creek on the east bank where the Missouri River makes a bend and saw [on the west bank] the ruins of the former cantonment or fort of Council Bluffs. This fort was established in 1819 for 1,000 men." Thwaits says as to the location of this Council Bluffs: "It was near the village now known as Fort Calhoun, in Washington County [Nebraska]. Lewis and Clark first named them [the bluffs on which the cantonment was built] and held a council here [with the Indians] in 1804. The fort [ first built here] was known [in the United States records] as Fort Atkinson from the commander of an expedition that started for the Yellowstone River in 1819. It got no further than this point and built a camp which Col. Atkinson called "Fort Missouri" and stayed there the winter of 1819-20. Another fort was afterwards built here, or the original one was repaired and was named Fort Calhoun for John C. Calhoun, secretary of war under Thomas Jefferson, or, for a soldier of the force that occupied it. The question is in dispute." The present location was named Council Bluffs on petition of the citizens of the town, by the legislature of Iowa in 1853. The original settlement here was called "'Miller's Hill" from a Mormon family that had located here. It was then called Hart's Bluffs for another Mormon leader. That name was
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HISTORY OF THE PLACE NAMES OF THE NORTH WESTERN LINE
changed to "Trader's Point" because several stores were started there at which the westbound Mormons could supply themselves for their journey over the plains. In 1846 Col. T. L. Kane, of Philadelphia, went to the Missouri River to enlist a regiment of Mormons for the Mexican war. As the Mormons were at this time congregated and congested here on their way to the Valley of Salt Lake, after their persecutions in Missouri and Illinois, there was much suffering among them. This appealed to Col. Kane and he aided them in every way that it was possible for him to do. In gratitude for this kindness, the leaders of the Mormon Church named the settlement 'Kaneville' in his honor. After the general hejira many Mormons came to this location, and in time the people became so wrought up on account of the stigma that had become attached to the Mormon name, they became dissatisfied with the name of the village and petitioned the legislature to change it, which was finally done in 1853.
Council Bluffs Transfer, Pottawatomie County, Iowa, was formerly called Union Pacific Transfer, and was so named from the fact that at this place the Union Pacific railroad made connections in a Union depot with all of the railroads from the east that came together here.
County Line, Racine County, Wisconsin, was named from the fact that the Milwaukee and Racine County line ran through the station grounds. The name of the postoffice is Lamberton.
Courtland, Nicollet County, Minnesota, was named by J. H. Stewart from Courtland (Kurland), one of the Germanized Baltic provinces of Russia. The misspelling of the name was accidental and not discovered until too late to correct it without much trouble.
Oragin, Cook County, Illinois, was named for H. B. Cragin, an early business man of the locality.
Craigsmere, Ontonagon County, Michigan. The name is one made for use here. It has no real meaning or significance.
Cranberry Center, Juneau County, Wisconsin, was named from the fact that this was the center of the Cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) industry of Wisconsin, and from which the station derives most of its business.
Orandon, Spink County, South Dakota, was named for Frank P. Crandon, a trusted and valued officer of the railroad company. This place was platted under the name of Minden by the Western Town Lot Company in 1881.
Crandon, Forest County, Wisconsin, was named by its first settlers for Frank P. Crandon, an officer of the Chicago and North Western Railway Company. The town was platted by the Chicago and North Western Railway Com- pany in 1901. The place was first named Ayr, the city of Scotland made noted by Robert Burns.
Crawford, Dawes County, Nebraska, was platted by the Pioneer Town Site Com. pany in 1886 and was named to honor Capt. "Jack" Crawford of the United States army, who was a noted Indian fighter in the early days of Nebraska, and who was killed by the Apache Indians in Arizona.
Creighton, Knox County, Nebraska, was laid out by the Pioneer Town Site Com- pany in 1885, and was named for John A. Creighton, of Omaha, by a Mr. Bruce who was interested in the place.
Crescent, Pottawatomie County, Iowa, was named by Brigham Young, presi- dent of the Mormon Church, from the cresentic formation of the bluffs that nearly surround the place.
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Creston, Ogle County, Illinois. The original name of this station and village was Dement, they having been named for Col. John Dement, an early settler of Northern Illinois. The present name came from the fact that the location is the "crest" or highest point on the railroad between Lake Michigan and the Mississippi River.
Creston, Platte County, Nebraska, was platted by the Pioneer Town Site Com- pany in 1886. The place was named because it was located on top of a hill, whence the water on the east side ran into the Elkhorn River and that on the west side into the Platte River.
Crocker, Polk County, Iowa, was named from the township, which was named for Col. Crocker, a prominent citizen of Des Moines, Iowa. It was platted by the Western Town Lot Company in 1880.
Crookston, Cherry County, Nebraska, was platted by the Pioneer Town Site Company in 1894 and was named for W. T. Crook, a yard master of the railroad at Valentine, Neb., during the construction of the railroad through this part of. the state.
Crossman's, Sauk County, Wisconsin, was named for Col. Jacob Crossman, a nearby early settler.
Crowell, Dodge County, Nebraska, was named for Prince S. Crowell of East Dennis, Mass., who at one time was president of the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad Company.
Crown Hill, Lawrence County, South Dakota, was named from a nearby hill, that was named from a mine, that was staked out on the hill by the Crown Mining Company.
Crozier's Mill, Gogebic County, Michigan, was named for W. A. Crozier who established a sawmill at this point.
Crystal Falls, Iron County, Michigan, was named from the falls in Paint River that flows by the station. This name was first applied to the falls in Paint River by Richard Corman, a "timber cruiser," who saw the foliage that overhung the falls densely covered with ice crystals after a very heavy sleet storm.
Crystal Lake, McHenry County, Illinois, was named from an adjacent lake which was and is still noted for the crystal purity of its waters. The town postoffice is Nunda and was so named by W. H. Hoffman from Nunda, N. Y., whence he had emigrated. Nunda is derived from the Indian word nundao, meaning "hilly" or according to another authority "potato ground."
Cuba, Lake County, Illinois, was named by the owners of the town site from the island of Cuba.
Cuba City, Grant County, Wisconsin, was by Craiglow and Stephens, the owners of the town site named Yuba from a place in California, but the name was rejected by the postoffice department in Washington, when the citizens then gave it its present name.
Cudahy, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, was named for Patrick Cudahy, the founder of the village and a large owner of property therein.
Cushing, Woodbury County, Iowa, was named by the Blair Town Lot and Land Company, that platted it, for L. Cushing Kimball of Boston, Mass., who was a brother of David P. Kimball, who for many years has been and yet is a most influential and valued director of the Chicago and North Western Railway Company. The earlier name of the place was Penrose.
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Cuyler, Cook County, Illinois. This station was formerly called " Belle Plaine," but was changed to honor Edward J. Cuyler, a loyal and valued officer of the railway company.
Daggett, Menominee County, Michigan, was named for the family name of the wife of Thomas Falkner, the first postmaster of the place.
Dakota City, Humboldt County, Iowa, was named by Edward Mcknight in 1855 for the Dakota (Sioux) tribe of Indians. The name of the postoffice was, by a mistake made in Washington, D. C., spelled "Dakotah," but the local spelling was never made to conform thereto.
Dakota Junction, Dawes County, Nebraska, was so named because at this point, the railroad branches, one stem running into Dakota and the other into Wyoming.
Dalzell, Bureau County, Illinois, was named for S. M. Dalzell of the Spring Valley and other coal companies.
Dale, Washington County, Nebraska, was named for Gen. Samuel Dale, of Alabama.
Dallas, Gregory County, South Dakota, was named from Dallas, Texas, by Jack- son Brothers, early settlers of this place. Dallas, Texas was named for G. M. Dallas, once vice president of the United States.
Danbury, Woodbury County, Iowa, was named from the first syllable of the given name, Daniel, of Daniel Thomas, who established the town, added to the word "bury," which was taken from the name of the county.
Dane, Dane County, Wisconsin, was named in honor of Nathan Dane, an Amer- ican jurist and a member of congress and the originator of the ordinance of 1787 that applied to the northwest.
Darfur, Watonwan County, Minnesota, was platted by the Western Town Lot Company in 1899 and was named from the country in Egypt. The word means the country of the "Fars" or "Fors," a name used there for the real natives of the country.
Davey, Lancaster County, Nebraska, was platted by the Pioneer Town Site Company in 1886, and was named for John Davey, the farmer who owned the land on which the town site is located.
Davenport, Thayer County, Nebraska, was named from Davenport, Iowa, and that was named by Anthony Le Claire, for Col. George Davenport, an Indian fur trader and an early settler on the island of Rock Island in the Missis- sippi River, who was murdered in his home there, in the early forties.
David City, Butler County, Nebraska, was named for David Butler, the first governor of the State of Nebraska.
Dayton, Webster County, Iowa. This station was once called West Dayton, but for brevity the name was shortened. It was named by E. B. Allison from Dayton, Ohio, which was named for Jonathan Dayton, one of the original proprietors.
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