Saturday, March 20, 2010

Quirky Names


We know alot of people with nicknames.The only nickname I had is little Indian girl.When I took care of residents at a mental hospital,certain patients would say,I want the little Indian girl to help me.
Some people I know how they got their nickname.My neighbor,Donna,goes by "Duke",she liked John Wayne,her daughter,Lori,goes by Nuck,she loved her pacifer when she was a baby.I know some other people,Punk,Pixie,Buzzy,Puddin'... & in my family tree I was looking for Tip-toe.
I only met Tip-Toe, my great grandmother once,but loved her right away.I wish I could`ve spent more time with her.She walked rather slowly around,probably had rhematoid arthitis-RA-like my grandmother,her daughter & my mother`s mom.She was a strong,but frail looking lady with long white hair plaited in braids & wound carefully around her head,much the same way I do mine in the summer.She had a small greenhouse & her plants were just beautiful.I suspect she was Native American,or had some in the family.I found out her name was Laura Virginia Cochran Loller.She was born Dec.29,1895 .Once I had her name,I found the cemetary in Ceil County,Md.where she & many of my mom`s family are buried.So Laura had my grandmother in 1912.She named her Ruth George Loller.I asked my mom about the name George,I didn`t understand how that was possible,was my grandmother married several times? My mom said simply,Laura loved her father ,so she gave his name to her daughter.Huh!
I`m so glad I`m finding out a little.My mom believes Laura was from Virginia ,hence her middle name.That`s where the Indian bloodlines come in,I believe.I can`t seem to get much further with her,I looked some,but maybe some day I can turn something up.Laura`s mom is a mystery.Did she not get along with her mother? Did her mother abandon her?

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Names and nick names tell such an interesting story.

When I joined a new volunteer group, we were all asked to explain why we were named our names--first, middle and last.

I have never forgotten the name of anyone in that group.

tiptoethruphylsgarden.blogspot.com said...

When you take on a nickname,you`d better like it as it always seems to stick.phylliso