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Most Significant Examples<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"Stone](\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/5338\/8870933461_4d12949070_b.jpg\")
<\/a>Stone Mountain in DeKalb County, Georgia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nDeKalb County, Georgia (map<\/a>) might be the most significant example of the phenomenon with nearly 700,000 residents. DeKalb is largely a suburb of Atlanta. It also forms a small portion of the eastern side of the city where it overlaps the county line. Anyone who has ever visited Stone Mountain (as I have<\/a>) has been to DeKalb.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe largest city named DeKalb exists in Illinois (map<\/a>), with about 50,000 residents, also located in a county of DeKalb so it earned double recognition. An agricultural company located here with the same name developed a brand of hybrid seeds. I can remember seeing its winged ear of corn logo (you know which one I mean<\/a>) along rural roadsides when I was growing up in farm country. Monsanto purchased DeKalb Genetics in the 1980’s and continued the brand<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThis simply underscores that one can find lots of features and things named DeKalb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nThe Origin<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The preponderance and perhaps every DeKalb place name in the United States derived directly from Johann von Robais, Baron de Kalb. Many students of U.S. history learned about Germans mercenaries — principally Hessians — who fought on the side of the British Empire during the American Revolutionary War. Lesser known were Germans with French connections that aided the Americans effort for independence. Johann Kalb fell into that latter camp. Consequently his surname spread throughout the eastern side of the nation following the conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"DeKalb](\"https:\/\/live.staticflickr.com\/3628\/3442836634_26abb18122_b.jpg\")
<\/a>DeKalb Statue at the statehouse in Annapolis, Maryland<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nEthnic and Racial Minorities in the U.S. Military: An Encyclopedia<\/a> provided some useful biographical insight. Born in Bavaria, Johann Kalb enlisted in a German unit of the French Army, the Loewendal German Regiment. He used a French language variation for his military name, Jean de Kalb. That accounted for the partially French (de = of) and partially German (Kalb = calf) conglomeration of DeKalb that carried forward into numerous American locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nFirst Trip to the Colonies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Despite his humble farming pedigree, de Kalb rose through the ranks. He distinguished himself in battle long before the American Revolution began. But he also married well. The source noted that “There is some confusion as to whether Kalb received his title ‘baron’ as a result of his military service or his marriage to one of the richest women in France”. Either way, the French foreign minister asked de Kalb to come out of retirement and travel to the British colonies in America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
His secret mission was to gauge colonial discontent with British rule in the years immediately prior to the Revolution. He didn’t learn much militarily although he returned to France with an affinity for the Americans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nSupporting the Revolution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The Marquis de La Fayette, a much more famous figure in the American Revolution, convinced de Kalb to come with him to the colonies to join the Continental Army as the war began. A whole lot more happened after that so I’ll skip ahead to the end of the story. Major General de Kalb commanded a division of Continental soldiers from Maryland and Delaware in 1780 at the Battle of Camden<\/a> in South Carolina. Unfortunately he died of wounds he sustained in battle. The clash was a complete debacle for American forces, perhaps the worst of the Revolution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>DeKalb County, Georgia (map<\/a>) might be the most significant example of the phenomenon with nearly 700,000 residents. DeKalb is largely a suburb of Atlanta. It also forms a small portion of the eastern side of the city where it overlaps the county line. Anyone who has ever visited Stone Mountain (as I have<\/a>) has been to DeKalb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The largest city named DeKalb exists in Illinois (map<\/a>), with about 50,000 residents, also located in a county of DeKalb so it earned double recognition. An agricultural company located here with the same name developed a brand of hybrid seeds. I can remember seeing its winged ear of corn logo (you know which one I mean<\/a>) along rural roadsides when I was growing up in farm country. Monsanto purchased DeKalb Genetics in the 1980’s and continued the brand<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This simply underscores that one can find lots of features and things named DeKalb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The preponderance and perhaps every DeKalb place name in the United States derived directly from Johann von Robais, Baron de Kalb. Many students of U.S. history learned about Germans mercenaries — principally Hessians — who fought on the side of the British Empire during the American Revolutionary War. Lesser known were Germans with French connections that aided the Americans effort for independence. Johann Kalb fell into that latter camp. Consequently his surname spread throughout the eastern side of the nation following the conflict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ethnic and Racial Minorities in the U.S. Military: An Encyclopedia<\/a> provided some useful biographical insight. Born in Bavaria, Johann Kalb enlisted in a German unit of the French Army, the Loewendal German Regiment. He used a French language variation for his military name, Jean de Kalb. That accounted for the partially French (de = of) and partially German (Kalb = calf) conglomeration of DeKalb that carried forward into numerous American locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite his humble farming pedigree, de Kalb rose through the ranks. He distinguished himself in battle long before the American Revolution began. But he also married well. The source noted that “There is some confusion as to whether Kalb received his title ‘baron’ as a result of his military service or his marriage to one of the richest women in France”. Either way, the French foreign minister asked de Kalb to come out of retirement and travel to the British colonies in America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n His secret mission was to gauge colonial discontent with British rule in the years immediately prior to the Revolution. He didn’t learn much militarily although he returned to France with an affinity for the Americans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Marquis de La Fayette, a much more famous figure in the American Revolution, convinced de Kalb to come with him to the colonies to join the Continental Army as the war began. A whole lot more happened after that so I’ll skip ahead to the end of the story. Major General de Kalb commanded a division of Continental soldiers from Maryland and Delaware in 1780 at the Battle of Camden<\/a> in South Carolina. Unfortunately he died of wounds he sustained in battle. The clash was a complete debacle for American forces, perhaps the worst of the Revolution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nThe Origin<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>
\n\n\n\nFirst Trip to the Colonies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nSupporting the Revolution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n