In my familys case, that is pretty close to true. My uncle, however, had a better vehicle, he made it all the way to laporte!Some say Hoosiers are Kentuckians whose car broke down on the way to Detroit.
This is also what my college professors said the origin was from.A historian in Harpers Ferry WV once told me that it came from a greeting German immigrants would use when visitors would come to their home.
So...being new to Indiana, I was wondering what the consensus is on what exactly a Hoosier is and/or what it means to you. I’ve looked it up and no one really seems to know what it’s origin is. What say you?
Of all of the explanations I've heard thru the years, and most of them multiple times from multiple sources, this is the first time I've ever heard this story.I find it interesting how history is simply just lost over time.
Here is a summary:
Fisk University Professor William D. Piersen found a forgotten character of Indiana history: Harry Hoosier, an 18th century African American Methodist minister, perhaps the most widely known black preacher of his time.
Since Hoosier—like most slaves—was illiterate, his name had no definite spelling, and the length of time he spent in Indiana remains undetermined
Born around 1750 near Fayetteville, North Carolina, Harry Hoosier moved—or was sold—to Henry Dorsey Gough’s plantation near Baltimore. Gough, a devout Methodist, had built a chapel that became a popular stopping place for Methodist preachers. It was there that Harry Hoosier—known as “Black Harry”—became a talented religious orator who traveled throughout the frontier.
There were many who had attended the camp meetings, conferences, revivals, Love Feasts, and other religious gatherings where Harry spoke over a period of nearly a quarter of a century. As a former slave, Harry found a natural home among the Methodists in Indiana who preached against slavery and who often worshipped with former slaves on the American frontier. Because of this close fellowship, it does not seem at all unlikely that Methodists and then other rustics of the backcountry could be called ‘Hoosiers’–disciples of the illiterate black exhorter Harry Hoosier—including the many Methodists who questioned slavery.
Such nicknames for religious adherents are common in history.
The first recorded use of the expression “red-neck” occurred in 1830 as an expression of derision for frontier Presbyterians in North Carolina. Such derogatory religious expressions were used on the American frontier. However, it may be that these evangelical Methodists were proud of the expression and regarded it as a badge of honor, rather than a label of dishonor.
It is possible that Harry helped to foster the abolition movement in Indiana, although there is no direct evidence to support this. However, it was in 1806 that enough Abolitionist were voted into office to overturn the slavery laws which the Indiana supreme court upheld in 1820.
So...It is highly possible that Hoosier is a term that many Indiana abolitionists used as a badge of honor.
Link to more info here.....
Harry Hosier: Preacher Gives Indiana Its Nickname - Christian Heritage Fellowship, Inc.
I edited my post as I forgot to add this information.Of all of the explanations I've heard thru the years, and most of them multiple times from multiple sources, this is the first time I've ever heard this story.
I suppose it's as believable as all those others.
Thank you so much for the info! Once I get settled in here, I would be proud to be called an adopted Hoosier.I edited my post as I forgot to add this information.
Addition: In early 1800's most of Indiana's population was in Southern Indiana.
So most of those using this nickname would have been located there. It is highly likely that the "Hoosier" nickname would have spread north and further into the state during the underground railroad days of 1830 - 1865 since abolitionist were a major influence in it's formation.
I think it is a great history. It shows that Indiana folk...Hoosiers...cared about people. When they saw what they knew was wrong, they did what they could to bring about change. Some of it was through the ballot box, and some was also through civil disobedience. It would not surprise me if "Hoosier" was originally meant to be an insult from those racists of the day and the abolitionist took it on as a badge of honor and ran with it.
For many years this information was lost. As I understand it, it was professor William D. Piersen who found this information in the 1990's in another state when researching for something else entirely. I myself had not learned this until a few years ago.