Next week, we’ll have an exciting writing update for On Holy Ground, but in the meantime… please enjoy these names!
Those Whose Parents Understood the Assignment
Freelove Andrews – who said Hippie names were only in the 1960s? The mother of Capt. Samuel French, who features in the “A Way Home” extra.
Severyn Hasbrouck – a militiaman in New York with a wizard’s name.
Hazard Wilcox – a NY loyalist who had his lands confiscated; also what I presume Matthew’s former comrades nicknamed him.
Smighting Tripp – a New York Loyalist in Dutchess County, in Beekman’s Precinct. Honestly, an amazing name.
Pierce A’Court-Ashe – Whig politician. Died in 1768. Truly a glorious name worthy of a fantasy protagonist.
Martinus Schoonmaker – a Patriot and reverend of the Low Dutch Reformed Church in Harlem.
Sergeant Wilder Kidder – in Malcolm’s Additional Regiment, I can only imagine the jokes his private soldiers made about his name.
Lt. Isaac Bangs – a surgeon in the Continental army.
Lt. Kingsmill Penefather – in the 15th Regiment of Foot in 1778. He sounds like a knight of Westeros.
Captain Twisleton Griffin Ridsdale – promoted to Captain in the 44th Regiment of Foot in 1776. Let’s hope he was as fun as his name.
Captain John Peebles – leader of the 42nd Regiment’s grenadiers.
Captain Abel Pettibone – I’m guessing he had 206 petty bones in his body.
Colonel Goose Van Schaik – Colonel in the New York regiment of the Continental army.
Silver Crispin – British soldier tried by a general court martial for knocking down a grenadier in the 22nd Regiment. The court found that the complaint against him and Mary O’Hara, his co-defendant, was “trifling and frivolous.” They were acquitted. Also a name destined for a YA protagonist.
Those Whose Parents Did Not
John Pile – perfect name for a man who allegedly mistreated sex workers and was as valuable to society as the hemorrhoids his name is a synonym for. His victim will get a post as we approach the release of On Holy Ground.
Preserved Fish – another New York Loyalist in Dutchess County, in Beekman’s Precinct. I’m sorry to him because there’s no way his parents didn’t know what they were doing with that name.
Dr. Preserved Clap – a doctor who helped fix cannon for the Continentals during the Siege of Boston. I might fear visiting him for the clap (which, yes, was a term at the time).
Corporal William McSkinning – if it sounds like a killer’s name, unfortunately, he was actually tried and found guilty for attempting to murder an ensign. For this, he was sentenced to hang wearing a sign that read “condemned for mutiny,” and the body was left up until sundown.
Lt. Richard St George Mansergh-St George – no, that redundancy is not a typo. He was wounded in the head at Germantown, survived, and made a drawing of his limp body carted into the city entitled “My triumphant entry into Philadelphia.” To be fair to his parents, he had to add the final “St. George” later in life for inheritance reasons, so his name was no one’s fault.
Captain Primrose Kennedy – Captain in the 44th regiment, and yes, a guy. While it’s unfair to hold him to 21st century standards, I cannot not hear Katniss shouting “Prim!”
Lt. General Eyre Coote – worked for the East India Company and thus took part in the colonization of India, which Mercy’s sister forever holds against him, but apparently his parents had a grudge against him too to give him that name so.
Marquis de Bussy – okay, his full name was Charles Joseph Patissier, Marquis de Bussy-Castelnau, but he was often referred to by what we’ve listed. Governor-General of Pondicherry (Puducherry) in India from 1783-85. Shows up as a villain in Telugu films from time to time. May have to cameo in our books at some point given his name and the premise of our series. Here’s his portrait:
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