Delaware Bay - Part VI

It’s about this time that the historical records on Delaware Bay get just a little murky (or, as any good historian will tell you, “We can’t remember for sure, but since we’re historians you’ll just have to take our word for it.”).  According to one apparently reliable source it seems as though the English allowed the Dutch to name both the Delaware River and the Delaware bay in honor of Lord de la Warr who was believed to have discovered both on his voyage to Virginia in 1610.  It has since been proven that the good Lord never saw the bay, or even traveled that far north, but the name stuck and over time de la Warr became Delaware.«

There is also another story about a Dutch sea captain named Samuel Argall who was blown off course during a violent storm.  Seeking calm seas, he sailed into a strange bay.  Thrilled that he and his crew were able to find safe harbor he also named this bay (the Delaware Bay) in honor of his governor, Lord de la Warr (hmmmm - great minds thinking alike!).

This Lord de la Warr (if you’re wondering) was the first governor of Virginia, a title he earned for life even though he ultimately returned home to Europe.  His real name was Sir Thomas West.  In 1610 he led the contingent which reinforced the Jamestown settlement.  He became Lord de la Warr only as a courtesy to his father Lord de la Warr (yes, I’m confused too).  Apparently, Thomas had two older brothers, and as the third son of Lord de la Warr, he was ineligible for the title.  But, since he was in the New World and his brothers were back in Europe I guess he could do pretty much as he wanted – name wise, that is.

          And so he did!  And, that’s how we got “Delaware” (though I think Papa de la Warr deserves some naming credit here).

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« Like many folks, I’m fascinated by the origin of names.  Take states, for example:  Wyoming was named after a tribal village in Pennsylvania wiped out in 1778 by a combined force of British soldiers, Tory sympathizers and Iroquois Indians.  Oregon was first named by Major Robert Rogers (Rogers commanded the famous “Roger’s Rangers” during the French and Indian War) in a petition to King George III.  Oklahoma was invented by native American missionary Allen Wright from two Choctaw words, “ukla” meaning people and “huma” meaning red.