The Word Hoosier; John Finley: Indiana Historical Society Publications, Volume IV, Number 2Dunn, Jacob Piatt
History
The Word Hoosier; John Finley: Indiana Historical Society Publications, Volume IV, Number 2
Dunn, Jacob Piatt
Finley, John, 1797-1866; Hoosier (Nickname)
I am now in the land of the _Hooshiers_, and find that
long-haired race much more civilized than some of their Western
neighbors are willing to represent them. The term "Hooshier,"
like that of Yankee, or Buckeye, first applied contemptuously,
has now become a _soubriquet_ that bears nothing invidious with
it to the ear of an Indianian.[6]
On Jan. 4, 1834, the Indiana Democrat quoted from the Maysville, Ky.,
Monitor, "The _Hoosier_ State like true democrats have taken the lead in
appointing delegates to a National Convention etc." On May 10, 1834, the
Indianapolis Journal printed the following editorial paragraph:
The Hooshier, started some time ago by Messrs. Ray and
Tannehill, at Greencastle, has sunk into repose; and a new
paper entitled the "Greencastle Advertiser," published by
James M. Grooms, has taken its place.
It is quite possible that this statement was made with the mischievous
intent of stirring up Gov. Ray, for he was rather sensitive, and the
Whigs seemed to delight in starting stories that called forth indignant
denials from him. If this was the purpose it was successful, for on May
31 the Journal said:
We understand that another No. of the Hooshier has been
recently received in town, and that it contains quite a bitter
complaint about our remark a week or two ago, that it had "sunk
into repose." We assure the Editor that we made the remark as a
mere matter of news, without any intention to rejoice at the
suspension of the paper. Several weeks had passed over without
any paper being received, and it was currently reported that it
had "blowed out" and therefore, as a mere passing remark, we
stated that it had "sunk into repose." We have no objection
that it should live a thousand years.
The new paper, however, did not last as long as that. It was sold in the
fall of 1834 to J. W. Osborn who continued the publication, but changed
the name, in the following spring, to the "Western Plough Boy." On Sept.
19, 1834, the Indiana Democrat had the following reference to Mr.
Finley:
The poet _laureat_ of Hoosierland and editor of the Richmond
Palladium has threatened to cut acquaintance with B. of the
Democrat!! The gentleman alluded to is the same individual that
was unceremoniously robbed, by the Cincinnati Chronicle, of the
credit of immortalizing our State in verse, by that justly
celebrated epic of the "Hoosier's Nest."
On Nov. 29. 1834, the Vincennes Sun used the caption, "Hoosier and
Mammoth Pumpkins," over an article reprinted from the Cincinnati Mirror
concerning a load of big pumpkins from Indiana.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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