When we speak of place names, we refer to a name and the reason for which that name was applied to certain place or thing. There is history in a study of place names, for the stories of the names will reveal much about the people, the customs, and beliefs of region in which such names are applied. Some name come from families; some come from surroundings, am some are applied humorously. They are names of a long past, and if there were any ill feeling about such name that has died out long ago.

Barefoot was the name applied to the region to the north of Golden Gate before the settlement of Golden Gate. In pioneer days many people went barefooted for comfort and to save shoes. There were scattered settlements in that region. Some of the people enjoyed dancing. One time when they had a dance, a man from southern  Edwards County came to the affair. In those days people sometimes entered into physical combat easily over trivial matter. The visitor had taken off his shoes to dance as the other people were dancing.  He left on his socks. A difference of opinion arose between him and a native. At once there was the usual combat, boxing in the rough, and-tumble manner. The other people gathered around the two in a circle to watch the fight. There was no thought of interference from a out-sider. The watchers did call out to the fighter however, words of encouragement or derision. One faction would call, "Go to it, barefoot. Give it to him, bar foot." The native was barefooted.

Others took the part of the visitor, maybe just to be different. They would call, "Sock him, socks. Give to him, socks."

After the dance the story spread of the fight. The humor of the situation tickled the listeners. It was easy manner to refer to the Golden Gate region as Barefoot. They went further and applied the name of Sock Nation to the home region of the visitor. Natives of the Golden Gate region to-day, especially those who have moved away from the region, like to say with a sly smile they are going to Barefoot.

Between Golden Gate and the river is a small area that was later referred to as Devil's Half Acre. In that crook of the river some men gathered to play cards. The non-players referred to the spot in derision.

The Little Wabash flows from the northwest to the southeast part of the county. Big Creek flows into the river from the north, near the extreme southeast corner of the county. In the days when there were few bridges, the territory in the lower part of that broad V was a territory unto itself. The natives went north but seldom crossed into the other territories. That region down there was often referred to as Egypt. It was spoken of as going down into Egypt. The people were referred to as Egyptians.

That same region was referred to as lower California. The people were also called Californians.

The bottom region of the Little Wabash lying to the southwest of that river was fiat. Nearly every year it was covered with water, for the Wabash seemed to go on a rampage ever so often and overflow its banks. There were scattered homes in that flat region. Each year when the water began to rise, the people hurriedly moved out to the hill region. Because they moved out in a hurry before approaching water, they were called River Rats.

A house in that region had a hip-roof that drooped down on both sides so that it resembled an old boat. One young man saw it sitting there in high water with that turned-down roof like a cover. He called it The Ark, and that name remained.

In the southwest part of the township is the highest point in the county in that high ridge along the west side of the river. Some boys dubbed the high hill Pike's Peak.

Beech Bluff was and is a bluff. There were likely beech trees there in the early days.

Gum Corner was so-called because its was a corner where roads met and there were gum trees all around.

Big Creek, which is in the extreme southeast corner of the county, is a large creek which flows into the Little Wabash. Big Creek was the simplest name that could be given it.

The name Wabash is an Indian word. Legend differs as to what it meant in the Indian language. Some say it meant “white clear water”; some say it meant “turbulent water”. The water is not very clear, not nearly so clear as the Ohio, but maybe the same was applied to Big Wabash some time when it was clear. Little Wabash flows into Big Wabash. Being a smaller stream, its name is appropriate.

White Oak Slough to the north of Golden Gate was once surrounded by many large white oaks. There are still some white oaks along its course.

Briar Branch to the south of Golden Gate was a region of many briars and brambles. Someone applied the name to the creek.

In the extreme northwest corner of the township are two creeks named after families in that region, Owen Creek and King Creek.  Spring branch flows from the south into King Creek. As there was a large spring along this stream, the name was an apt one.

Leet Hill west of the river on the old stage coach trail was named after the family that lived there years ago.

Pond Creek in the west side of the township was once a region of pools, or ponds, of water, in the days before dredging took place. There was naturally a creek that led toward the river. As there were several ponds of water there, it was natural to call the creek Pond Creek.

In the west side of section 34 there is a loop of the river that has in time past been cut off by the water breaking across to join the top of the loop, at periods of high water, perhaps over a period of years so that finally the river made its new course across the top of the bow. That loop is called Old River.  It is truly the old river course.   There is little water there in summer. Turtles crawl on logs to sun.

The bridge across Pond Creek was near the Wagner home. Naturally the name Wagner was applied when the bridge was built.

The bridge across the Wabash on the old stage coach trail was the first one to span the Little Wabash. It was called the Bridge, the Scottsville Bridge because it had iron banisters. it is in section 21.

In the upper part of section two, in T3S, another bridge was built across the river in the early years of this century, the Saxe Bridge. Between it and the old Iron Bridge, north of Old River, is another bridge, the Hodson Bridge. Both those were named after families who had land near.

Before bridges spanned the river, crossings were made at shallow places, often with rock bottom. Such a crossing was about a half mile below the Saxe Bridge. On those rocks there were small green plants that made the rocks look green. The name Green Shoals was applied.

Scottsville, the stopping place for the stage coach between Fairfield and Albion, was called Wabash, likely because it was near the Wabash River. The post office there was always called Wabash. When the Scotts settled there, the name was changed to Scottsville.

Ellery was named after the surveyor who surveyed the right-of-way for the railroad. He surveyed the town lots of Ellery. When Linesville was rejected as a name for the post office because there was already a Linesville in the state, the name Ellery was selected.

Golden Gate had some difficulty in securing the right-of-way for the railroad. One man persisted in refusing to give the right for the railroad to cross his land. He had gates on his porch to keep stock off the porch at night. One day he suddenly took down the gates, the house was moved, and the right-of-way work went on. Some referred to it as the Golden Gate, for it was assumed that money had been paid. Others say that workers near the river started home. One saw the yellow gate and remarked they would go to the golden gate.

The ridge on which Golden Gate was built was once called Terrapin Ridge because in high water the many terrapins crawled there on the ridge the only place of refuge. That ridge was used by farmers as a place on which to herd their stock when the water was rising.

Huntsinger Hill, a high point in section 25, was so-called because the Calvin Huntsinger family lived there
seventy-five years ago.

Wild Rose, a school in the south edge of the township was named that because there were wild roses near.
Mars Hill in southwestern part was named after a family named Mars.

Campbell Hill, a high hill at the edge of the bottoms in section four, T3S was named after James Campbell.

Buzzard Roost was a name some boys applied to a church north. of Liberty. When that church moved away, some gave the name to Antioch Church, but that name has been almost forgotten.

Roads are often given names too.  A half mile of road on the line between T2S and
T3S is very hilly. It is called the Hill Road.

A dredge ditch along the road north from Scottstation to the highway made that road way a high one. The dirt from the ditch was piled along the bank which was made into a road. It is called the Ditch Bank Road.

Scottstation was settled when the railroad passed through. Pomp Scott was instrumental in getting a town started. The post office there was always called Wabash, however.

Once in Scottstation there was a house near the railroad with a porch on which the stock would sometimes go. A man, in jest, called the house the Marble Front. The name persisted.

Leech Township was named after Samuel Leech who operated a mill on the Little Wabash in the region of Old Iron Bridge. Later he moved to Fairfield and became a merchant and official there.

Wayne County was named after Anthony Wayne,
the soldier, who led troops across this region to quiet
Indian uprisings.

Illinois is an Indian word meaning men. All in Illinois are said to be suckers. In pioneer days people crossings Illinois needed water. They sucked water from crayfish holes after removing the mud tops. They used hollow sterns of weeds as straws. All in Illinois are called Suckers. Though we are Wayneites or Leechites, we are also suckers.