As a linguist and a person interested in genealogy, I am with you on leaving the name as is. "kill" as Jean has indicated comes from part of our heritage in NY. There are two main original influences in terms of language in NY: English and Dutch (of course today we have Yiddish, Spanish, and others). Those that settled in that area had their reasons for calling it "Fishkill"="Fish Creek". There were probably many fish in that area. When the Spanish named the State of Arizona, they had their reasons...I recently reviewed a book on Americanisms, where the author talks about the poetic and nature type names people gave places in the past, but today we name places after people (usually those with lots of money). Anyway...I am an animal lover, but let's not distort things, afterall language is meaning and I believe we know the true meaning our ancestors intended when naming this area. Liz Martinez ________________________________ From: Jean Snow [mailto:snowstar@earthlink.net] Sent: Sun 7/31/2005 5:25 PM To: GEN-NYS-L@rootsweb.com Subject: PETA Changing NY State's Historical Names?? Perhaps you've seen this already. It came on the Dutchess list. I've signed the petition and hope lots more will. Okay, so PETA doesn't know that "kill" is the Dutch word for creek or stream. They need to find out before raising a stench! There are so many towns and cities in NY state ending in 'kill." The City of Peekskill is just one example: named for Jan Peek. I'm a former long-time resident of NY, a former English and French teacher, now a columnist, published writer and teacher of writing who loves language and history and hates to see both abused by the ignorant, no matter how well-meaning. If you like the English language and its historical descent, you might want to sign this petition too. I'm going to forward it to the NY County Lists I subscribe to as well. Thanks. Jean From the Dutchess List July 30, 2005 (From Ginny Buechele, a staunch and vocal activist for our history and genealogy) Subject: Leave our Heritage Alone! In an effort to stand up for our Dutchess County and Hudson Valley Heritage, I have created an on-line Petition to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Please Read and Sign the Petition if you agree! Here is the Link http://www.petitiononline.com/fishkill/petition.html This petition is in response to PETA's Call for Fishkill to change its name - Perhaps NOW and maybe another decade from now PETA will give up their ridiculous efforts in this regard and stick to the real issues. Poughkeepsie Journal Article Kill name, PETA asks Fishkill July 14, 2005 [excerpt] If Fishkill changes its name to a more animal-friendly moniker, will the striped bass swimming in the Hudson River have any idea? PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, seems to think so. The animal rights group based in Norfolk, Va., renewed its call, first made nearly a decade ago, for Fishkill to change its name. The group now wants the town and village to be known as fishinghurts.com, which just happens to be the Internet address for a PETA Web site dedicated to the group's ''fish empathy project.'' - ------------------------------------------------------------- Ginny says: "Bah Humbug" - Please Leave Our Heritage Alone!. Ginny ==== GEN-NYS Mailing List ==== Have you seen the GEN-NYS-L mailing list archives? http://archiver.rootsweb.com/GEN-NYS-L/

I came in on this discussion late and really don't know what started it all. But, "kill" in the name Fishkill is an anglicization of the Dutch "vischers" or stream. Hence, Fishkill means "Fisher's Stream". Similar to Cobleskill or "Cobles's Stream" named after an early Dutch settler. Bruce At 09:43 AM 8/6/2005, Martinez-Gibson, Elizabeth A. wrote: >As a linguist and a person interested in genealogy, I am with you on >leaving the name as is. "kill" as Jean has indicated comes from part of >our heritage in NY. There are two main original influences in terms of >language in NY: English and Dutch (of course today we have Yiddish, >Spanish, and others). Those that settled in that area had their reasons >for calling it "Fishkill"="Fish Creek". There were probably many fish in >that area. When the Spanish named the State of Arizona, they had their >reasons...I recently reviewed a book on Americanisms, where the author >talks about the poetic and nature type names people gave places in the >past, but today we name places after people (usually those with lots of >money). Anyway...I am an animal lover, but let's not distort things, >afterall language is meaning and I believe we know the true meaning our >ancestors intended when naming this area. > >Liz Martinez >________________________________ > >From: Jean Snow [mailto:snowstar@earthlink.net] >Sent: Sun 7/31/2005 5:25 PM >To: GEN-NYS-L@rootsweb.com >Subject: PETA Changing NY State's Historical Names?? > > > >Perhaps you've seen this already. It came on the Dutchess list. I've signed >the petition and hope lots more will. > >Okay, so PETA doesn't know that "kill" is the Dutch word for creek or >stream. They need to find out before raising a stench! There are so many >towns and cities in NY state ending in 'kill." The City of Peekskill is >just one example: named for Jan Peek. > >I'm a former long-time resident of NY, a former English and French teacher, >now a columnist, published writer and teacher of writing who loves language >and history and hates to see both abused by the ignorant, no matter how >well-meaning. > >If you like the English language and its historical descent, you might want >to sign this petition too. I'm going to forward it to the NY County Lists >I subscribe to as well. Thanks. Jean > > From the Dutchess List July 30, 2005 (From Ginny Buechele, a staunch and >vocal activist for our history and genealogy) >Subject: Leave our Heritage Alone! > >In an effort to stand up for our Dutchess County and Hudson Valley Heritage, >I have created an on-line Petition to People for the Ethical Treatment of >Animals (PETA) > >Please Read and Sign the Petition if you agree! Here is the Link >http://www.petitiononline.com/fishkill/petition.html > >This petition is in response to PETA's Call for Fishkill to change its >name - Perhaps NOW and maybe another decade from now PETA will give up their >ridiculous efforts in this regard and stick to the real issues. > >Poughkeepsie Journal Article Kill name, PETA asks Fishkill July 14, 2005 > >[excerpt] >If Fishkill changes its name to a more animal-friendly moniker, will the >striped bass swimming in the Hudson River have any idea? > >PETA, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, seems to think so. > >The animal rights group based in Norfolk, Va., renewed its call, first made >nearly a decade ago, for Fishkill to change its name. The group now wants >the town and village to be known as fishinghurts.com, which just happens to >be the Internet address for a PETA Web site dedicated to the group's ''fish >empathy project.'' >- ------------------------------------------------------------- >Ginny says: "Bah Humbug" - Please Leave Our Heritage Alone!. >Ginny > > > >==== GEN-NYS Mailing List ==== >Have you seen the GEN-NYS-L mailing list archives? > http://archiver.rootsweb.com/GEN-NYS-L/ > > > > > >==== GEN-NYS Mailing List ==== >Visit the GEN-NYS-L web page: > http://www.rootsweb.com/~nozell/GEN-NYS-L/ Bruce L. Nicholson, Ph.D. Professor (Fall Semesters Only - Semi-retired) Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology.and Molecular Biology University of Maine Orono, Maine 04469 Email: brucen@maine.edu Home: Gold Canyon, Arizona Personal Web Page: www.geocities.com/brucelnicholson

On the East side of the Hudson . South of Albany is Murderskill.