'Twas Ever Thus...

Living in a digital age, we are all aware of when and how a piece of media goes "viral". We can almost see it happening before our eyes. The following article was first published in America in January 1886 and, though it took a lot longer to spread, it did get passed all around the world in the preceeding months. 

 

CURIOUS CHRISTIAN NAMES THE BURDENS IMPOSED UPON SOME CHILDREN BY ................................PREJUDICED PARENTS                  From the Philadelphia News.     "What a name that young man has," said a clergyman yesterday to a News gatherer as the person indicated left his presence.       "What is it?"      "E.P.Baxter, he writes it. Nothing remarkable about that, but what an amount of foolish patriotism is concealed in those initials. The young man was born on Jan.3, 1863, and his parents named him Emancipation Proclamation Baxter, in honor of the occasion."      "That's pretty bad."      "Yes, but there are some parents with cranky ideas on the subject of naming children. One boy I christened Perseverance Jones. I endeavored to dissuade the father, but he said the child's mother was called Patience, and he saw no reason why the boy should not be called Perseverance, because the two always went together. Within a few paces of the grave of Benjamin and Deborah Franklin, in the old cemetery at Fifth and Arch streets, there is a headstone bearing the inscription: 'Sacred to the memory of S. L. U. Lloyd.' If the owner of the name were living now his friends would probably call him 'Celuloid.' I had a colored man named Alexander doing some work around here once. I used to hear the other workmen call him 'Trib' and 'Hole,' and it struck me one day to ask him what his name was.      "'Tribulation Wholesome Alexander, Sah' he replied.      "It may have been some relative of his who came to me with twins to have baptized.      "'What names will you call them?' I asked.      "'Cherubim and Seraphim,' replied the mother.      "'Why?' I asked in astonishment.      "'Because,' she replied, 'de, pra'r book says de cherubim and seraphim continually do cry, and dese yere chil'en do nufin' else.'"      The News gatherer edged towards the door, and when he had got in the lobby shouted "Chesnut" and skipped down the stairs.                                   The New York Times                                      January 10, 1886

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The same article appeared in other American newspapers in the following weeks, as well as newspapers in Britain, Australia and New Zealand in the preceeding months (I have so far found eight reproductions). The article was replicated as above, with only a small change to the first paragraph in some cases:

"What a name that young man has," said a clergyman to the reporter of an American paper, as the person indicated left his presence....                       The Sheffield & Rotherham Independent                                (Sheffield, UK), February 20, 1886

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An "urban myth" is described as "a form of modern folklore consisting of apocryphal stories believed by their tellers to be true."* We hear the story from somewhere or other, store it the back of our minds, only to recall it at a later date, uncertain of where it was we originally heard it -- the details rather fuzzy. We all know many concerning names: Abcd, Ledasha, Orangejello and Lemonjello... Here is a little insight into how the above "viral" article fell into urban folklore up to six years later:
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TO THE EDITOR OF THE STANDARD    SIR, — The letters on this subject bring back to my memory the fact that in the churchyard of the place where I first saw the light a tombstone announces the fact of the death of twins named "Punch" and "Judy." Further they recall to mind the -- I must own -- not absolutely authenticated record of two children, also twins, duly presented at the baptismal font, and on the usual question as to the names being asked, "Cherubim" and "Seraphim" were gravely given. "What extraordinary names," remarked ther clergyman: "why have you chosen these?" "Because, Sir, they continually do cry!" was the reply. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, M.R.C.S     April 6.                                          The Standard                                  (London), April 8, 1892

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.For those unaware of the "Punch and Judy" reference