Ann Arbor's Nomenclature

The Daily Times is responsible foi this new version of how Ann Arbor received its iuime. EHrectly acroes irosa the city jail in tlie littlo shanty that was fonnerly niilized by the overse.er of the bobees who were oompeltect to mili.e ttoelr inuscle on the stone pilo, naw dwells a man who claims to be the oldesi living settler of the city of Ann Arl.nr. Many people of the city perchante recollect au aged man offering for sale at their water eresses and mint when in season. Rather short in Bta.fr ure, his bearing erect for one who had seen 75 years of most active life he is B cha ra eter whose adventures would fill a volume of interesting reading. Possessing a retentive meiuory lie relates some l'acts eoncerning the ehrSsteniug of this city -which while not at variance with the eomuion acceptance of the way the peculiar name was ehosen for Ann Arbor rather iuts a. more plausible explanation on the rather queer selection by which this city is knowm to tlie entire world. The old s-toiy is that among the eariy settlers carne vwo families of whdch the two woinen being each najned "Ann" and seeking temporary shelter in a natural bower or arbor, the place waa named "Ann's Arbor." That is aibout as far as the old story goes. E&ward Donnor, thé name of our interesting chaiacter, relates a stoiy which corresponda very accuraitely wlth the historica] records and there seems to be very little questáon but that his version is true. Sayts he: "The name of this city s not 'Ann Arbor,' but Hann's Arbor' and niy father who christened it left au ev?rlasting proof of that fact. He carved it on a larse stone together With. tho date of his arrival here and tliat stonc whieh I visited and saw la.st fall is still in Lower Town. I mean to get possession of it some day. lts whereabouts I will not ieveal because I think if I can set hold of it I can sell it at a good figure to someone who wants it as a historica! keepsa&e. "In 1823 there carne liere six families from the east in search of land upon which to settle down. My father and mother were among the little band aiul at tliat time I was tive years old. The nanies of the heads of the families were Heury Donner (my father). Judge Rumsey. .Tamos Allen, Orrin White and. two men nsmed Clausen and Woodraff. Mrc. Rumsey and Mrs. Allen were sisters-in-lnw and it happened that caoh was named Aun. When ive reached here, Mvs. Allen being pregnant and about to be contined, a shelter liad to be provided Eor her. A natural arbor was íound and she was placed theivin. During the fonfinement Mrs. Ann Rumeey attencled her and wnen the child was bom t, being a gtrl, was öalled Ann, after its mother and aunt. This made t:ree Anus in the little and my fa : her immediately took np the idea and called the place 'Hanu's Arbor,' though why he iH-eflxed the 'H' is not known to me. At least he sat down and carved on a large stone the inscription, "Hann's Arbor, 1S28," and this boulder is still in the place where it was then. "There were three log shanties in this vicinity when we came here. but no name had been chosen for the beautiful site nntil the idea struck my fatlier of calling it by the peculiar name whieh has since been alterad into Ann Arbor. That is the way the place came to be named." If what Mr. Dormer says is true it wonld not be a bad idea for the Wastitenaw Pioneer Society to secure the relie and place it among its other treastires.