Bittys, Bettys and Betsys

About 400 women participated in The Gathering of Elizabeths this weekend. I gather my niece, whose name is spelled "Elisabeth," would not have been welcome.

The northern Illinois community of Elizabeth tried Saturday to set a world record for the largest Gathering of Elizabeths. Women with Elizabeth in any part of their name were allowed in; one participant has Elizabeth as a last name.

The event drew women from more than 20 U.S. states. Those participating had to show a copy of a birth certificate or driver's license.

"We did invite Queen Elizabeth II, but she politely declined," said Susan Gordy, who helped organize the event. [Link]

[Thanks, Nancy!]

Certified Public Awkward Moment

Illinois has passed a law requiring candidates who change their names in the three years prior to an election to include a "formerly known as" line on the ballot. This should stop office-seekers from changing their surnames to appeal to ethnic groups, or from doing something really moronic, like what Sen. Christopher Lauzen did when he ran for state comptroller in 1998.

When election officials wouldn't allow him to note that he was a certified public accountant on the ballot, Sen. Lauzen attempted to have his last name legally changed to "CPA," but a judge refused to allow the name change.

"I received bad advice -- it was a mistake. I was trying to use my point-of-sale marketing skills and let voters know I'm a CPA. I worked hard to become an accountant. I tried to use that to my advantage," a rather embarrassed Sen. Lauzen said this week. [Link]

Reversing Murphy's Curse

If your surname is Cohan, Chance, Steinfeldt, Tinker, Howard, Sheckard, Evers, Moran, Williams or Murphy, you can help the Chicago Cubs win the World Series. It all started in 1908, just after the Cubs won their last Series.

The night after the big win, Broadway legend George Cohan hosted a celebratory dinner at Rector's Restaurant for the victorious players. Conspicuously absent from the guest list was Cubs President Charles W. Murphy. Murphy was met with considerable criticism for his handling of World Series tickets and poor seat availability for the fans and subsequently was not invited to the dinner.

Harry Caray's Restaurant wants to go back in time and "reverse the curse" by recreating the guest list—and including a Murphy.

The restaurant believes it's time to forgive Mr. Murphy and invite him back to the table. On the night of the 9th Annual Worldwide Toast to Harry Caray, his namesake restaurant will hold a reenactment of the 1908 dinner, only this time Murphy will be there. [Link]

Keep Off the Grass ... and the Lawn Ornaments

Historian Greg Koos has been working to republish nineteenth-century county atlases of McLean County, Illinois, and in the process has noted some peculiar details.

In the 1874 Atlas, a lithographer for the Dennis Kenyon farm in Mount Hope Township even took note of a damaged tree in the front yard. "Look at that tree," said Koos. "It's been blasted by lightning."

There also is a bit of whimsy that only the careful examiner catches.

In the drawing of the A. Kittle residence, Market and Hinshaw streets, Bloomington, 1874, people are standing on top of lawn ornaments. [Link]