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Origin Of "mr." And "mrs."

Origin Of "mr." And "mrs." image
Parent Issue
Day
30
Month
July
Year
1897
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

The history of the origrin and deyelopment of the little Mr. and Mrs. is rather interesting. When the ordinary Christian names had nicknarnes derived fiom their owners trade, or his dweiling place, or for some personal peculiarity, tacked on there was as yet no "misters" in the land. Some John Buil accumulated more vvealth than the bulk of his own fellows- because, perhaps, a landed proprietor or an employer or hired laborer. Then he began to be called in the Norm-anFrench of the day the '"maister" of this place or that, of these workmen or of those. In time the "maistre," or "maister," became a prefix to his Christian name, and he became Maister Buil and his wife was Maistress Buil. Gradually the title was conferred upon any kind- by mere possession of wealth or holding some position of nore or less consideration and importance. ,

Article

Subjects
Ann Arbor Argus
Old News