Counties, counties...

So, back to the people counties in the US are named after... Did you think I forgot?

President #5 James Monroe & Francis "Swamp Fox" Marion tie "Honest Abe" with 17 counites each.

Revolutionary War Brigadier General Richard Montgomery & orator Henry Clay, Sr. (Secretary of State under John Quincy Adams, among other things) tie with 15 counties each. However, Clay County Iowa is named after Henry Clay, Jr., a war hero who died at the Battle of Buena Vista during the Mexican-American War. Colonel Clay was, of course, named after his father. So, maybe "Henry of the West" has the edge over the general.

What about our 4th president, James Madison? So glad you asked. Mr. Madison, Father of the Constitution, husband of Dolley, has, in fact, the 4th most popular county name. Nineteen counites to be exact! The 20th Madison County in Nebraska is named after Madison, WI, the hometown of the people who settled there. Wait a second... Madison, Wisconsin is named after James Madison too! Maybe we should count it as 20 since it doesn't disrupt the standings at all...

James Madison- 4th President (1809-1817)

There you have it, folks... I'll get back to local history next week.