Origin Hoosier

1 origin

1.1 scholarship
1.2 folk etymologies

1.2.1 banter
1.2.2 mr. hoosier s men

origin

in addition hoosier s nest , term appeared in indianapolis journal s carrier s address on january 1, 1833. there many suggestions derivation of word, none universally accepted.

scholarship

in 1900, meredith nicholson wrote hoosiers, attempt study etymology of word applied indiana residents. jacob piatt dunn, longtime secretary of indiana historical society, published word hoosier, similar attempt, in 1907. both chronicled of popular , satirical etymologies circulating @ time , focused of attention on use of word in upland south refer woodsmen, yokels, , rough people. dunn traced word cumbrian hoozer, meaning unusually large, derived old english hoo (as @ sutton hoo), meaning high , hill . importance of immigrants northern england , southern scotland reflected in numerous placenames including cumberland mountains, cumberland river, , cumberland gap. nicholson defended people of indiana against such association, while dunn concluded settlers had adopted nickname self-mockingly , had lost negative associations time of finley s poem.

johnathan clark smith subsequently showed nicholson , dunn s earliest sources within indiana mistaken. letter james curtis cited dunn , others earliest known use of term written in 1846, not 1826. similarly, use of term in 1859 newspaper item quoting 1827 diary entry sandford cox more editorial comment , not original diary. smith s earliest sources led him argue word originated term along ohio river flatboatmen indiana , did not acquire pejorative meanings until 1836, after finley s poem.

william piersen, history professor @ fisk university, argued connection black methodist minister rev. harry hosier (c. 1750–may 1806), evangelized american frontier @ beginning of 19th century part of second great awakening. black harry had been born slave in north carolina , sold north baltimore, maryland, before gaining freedom , beginning ministry around end of american revolution. close associate , personal friend of bishop francis asbury, father of american methodist church . dr. benjamin rush said that, making allowances illiteracy, greatest orator in america , sermons called on methodists reject slavery , champion common working man. piersen proposed methodist communities inspired example took or given variant spelling of name (possibly influenced yokel slang) during decades after ministry.

jorge santander serrano, phd student indiana university has suggested hoosier might come french words redness rougeur or red-faced rougeaud . according theory, pejorative use of word hoosier may have link color red ( rouge in french) associated indigenous peoples, pejoratively called “red men” or “red-skins”, , poor white people calling them “red-necks.”

folk etymologies

banter

humorous folk etymologies term hoosier have long history, recounted dunn in word hoosier.

one account traces word necessary caution of approaching houses on frontier. in order avoid being shot, traveler call out afar let known. inhabitants of cabin reply s here? – in appalachian english of settlers – slurred sh ere? , thence hoosier? variant of account had indiana pioneers calling out sh ere? general greeting , warning when hearing in bushes , tall grass, avoid shooting relative or friend in error.

the poet james whitcomb riley facetiously suggested fierce brawling took place in indiana involved enough biting expression ear? became notable. arose or inspired story of 2 19th-century french immigrants brawling in tavern in foothills of southern indiana. 1 cut , third frenchman walked in see ear on dirt floor of tavern, prompting him slur out whosh ear?

mr. hoosier s men

one possible origin of term hoosier came construction of louisville , portland canal (1826–1833).

two related stories trace origin of term gangs of workers indiana under direction of mr. hoosier.

the account related dunn louisville contractor named samuel hoosier preferred hire workers communities on indiana side of ohio river new albany rather kentuckians. during excavation of first canal around falls of ohio 1826 1833, employees became known hoosier s men , hoosiers . usage spread these hard-working laborers of indiana boatmen in area , spread north settlement of state. story told dunn in 1901 man had heard hoosier relative while traveling in southern tennessee. dunn not find family of given name in directory in region or else in southern tennessee had heard story , accounted himself dubious. version subsequently retold gov. evan bayh , sen. vance hartke, introduced story congressional record in 1975, , matches timing , location of smith s subsequent research. however, u.s. army corps of engineers has been unable find record of hoosier or hosier in surviving canal company records.