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ArchivesRe: name origin
in reply to a message by Rae Stevens
“Fredonia” is a name created by Dr. Samuel Latham Mitchill (physician, scientist, and U.S. Senator) around the year 1800. It was taken from the English word “freedom” with a Latin ending placed on it and the intended meaning being: “place of freedom”. Dr. Mitchill proposed this name for the United States of America, but it was given about the same amount of serious consideration as was given to Ben Franklin’s proposal of the turkey as the national symbol of the U.S.
Nevertheless, the name appealed to enough 19th century town fathers so that a number of towns throughout the U.S. now bear the name of “Fredonia”.
Groucho Marx no doubt found the name amusing, as “Freedonia” is the name of the country ruled by the wacky dictator Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho) in the Marx Brothers’ movie *Duck Soup*.
-- Nanaea
Nevertheless, the name appealed to enough 19th century town fathers so that a number of towns throughout the U.S. now bear the name of “Fredonia”.
Groucho Marx no doubt found the name amusing, as “Freedonia” is the name of the country ruled by the wacky dictator Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho) in the Marx Brothers’ movie *Duck Soup*.
-- Nanaea
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