Three weeks ago on my way back from the Borg I stopped off at Alma where Grigsby ran a newspaper. I wanted to visit the museum they have there. The person watching the desk listened to my inquiry about wanting a photograph of Grigsby and handed me a book.
A historical book about Alma, Kansas, the town where A.O. ran a newspaper for several years. The book reported on the names of several native Americans. Several persons were listed who were married in Alma. The term -qua was the last syllable of several Native American woman’s names. I asked the person in charge what they knew about the Native Americans that had lived in Alma in the 1800's. There wasn't much information available but it was suggested that I make inquiries with the Pottawatomie, Kickapoo, Salk and Fox as they had all been in the area of Alma.
Another internet source reported that in Lakota, Nequa meant “Native Son” So what does qua actually mean.
This week on the way back from Mennonite Press in Newton Kansas I was cruising at 80 mph watching the road ahead for potential Police Officers in radar cars, Out of the corner of my eye I saw a sign, Tequa Creek. I instantly let off of the gas. Decided that I read the sign wrong and then right in front of me is another bridge with another Tequa Creek sign on it.
When I got home I called the museum in Franklin county and asked if they had any information on what the word meant. Surprisingly they said that Franklin County at one time had more different Native American tribal groups represented in the county than any other Kansas County.
Tequa Creek was named after Chief Tuk-quos, a Sauk, also spelled Tuquas. They had no information on what it meant.
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