[or-roots] Unusual first names

[Kith-n-Kin]

Hmmm

 

In Louisiana, we have Jean LaFitte – a pirate – and pronounced lafeet, not to be confused with LaFayette – the parish and town named after General Lafayette, the famous Revolutionary general we “borrowed” from France. The “ay” is a dipthong that becomes “eye.”  However, a quick survey of pronunciations in the US reveals another – La fee ete. 

 

I have a few of those in my family, and the “usual” pronunciation from their mid-western descendants is La fay ette.

 

Horatio and Rufus were also names in my family – Horatio from Virginia and Kentucky – Rufus from Virginia. Rufus is like a “sixth” or something, so apparently they really liked that name.   But, it helps to distinguish families, I think.  Oh, I should say, they pronounce it Roo-fuss. 

 

Interestingly, there were two Horatio Palmers involved in Arizona in the late 1800s. My gguncle, Horatio Nixon, a mining engineer, and a Canadian, Horatio Bradshaw, who was a wagon maker. Who would have thought. 

 

I have a picture of a six month old child, taken in Tucson, Arizona Territory, about 1885, that was sent by Nixon to my grandmother and her sister. It reads on the back, “to Nettie and little Nell” “H. N. Palmer, Jr”  or words to that effect.  I found Horatio Palmer, married to Margarita in Tucson and was “sure” I’d finally found the mother to “H N Palmer, Jr”   Oops, this turns out to be Horatio the Canadian, not Horatio the Oregonian. Dang.

 

We’ve never found the mother, the child, or anything about them. Five years later Nick, Nixon, or H N,  is in Prescott, with a different wife.

 

Sigh.

 

Pat

In Tucson

 

 

 

From: or-roots-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us [mailto:or-roots-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us] On Behalf Of Diane
Sent: Monday, June 15, 2009 10:07 AM
To: or-roots mail list
Subject: Re: [or-roots] Unusual first names

 

And LaFayette is prounced LaFeet.  Heavy on the 'Feet'.  

 

An woman we knew of named her son Rufus Horatio.  No wonder the boy is called 'Butch"  Diane

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