Different theories can be found in almost all of the books written about Vandalia over the years. In her book Vandalia: Wilderness Capital of Lincoln's Land, Mary Burtschi tells of a conversation between one of the original surveyors of the town and a Vandalia resident. The surveyor, Colonel Greenup, explained that Van was suggested by one of the men. He recommended this as an abbreviation to the word vanguard meaning the forefront of an advancing movement.
Different theories can be found in almost all of the books written about Vandalia over the years.
amod
Degree=Pos
different
Different
ADJ
JJ
nsubj:pass
Number=Plur
theory
theories
NOUN
NNS
aux
VerbForm=Fin
can
can
AUX
MD
aux:pass
VerbForm=Inf
be
be
AUX
VB
root
Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass
find
found
VERB
VBN
case
in
in
ADP
IN
advmod
almost
almost
ADV
RB
obl
all
all
DET
DT
case
of
of
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
nmod
Number=Plur
book
books
NOUN
NNS
acl
Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part
write
written
VERB
VBN
case
about
about
ADP
IN
obl
Number=Sing
Vandalia
Vandalia
PROPN
NNP
case
over
over
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
obl
Number=Plur
year
years
NOUN
NNS
punct
.
.
PUNCT
.
In her book Vandalia: Wilderness Capital of Lincoln's Land, Mary Burtschi tells of a conversation between one of the original surveyors of the town and a Vandalia resident.
case
in
In
ADP
IN
nmod:poss
Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs
her
her
PRON
PRP$
obl
Number=Sing
book
book
NOUN
NN
appos
Number=Sing
Vandalia
Vandalia
PROPN
NNP
punct
:
:
PUNCT
:
compound
Number=Sing
Wilderness
Wilderness
PROPN
NNP
nsubj
Number=Sing
Capital
Capital
PROPN
NNP
case
of
of
ADP
IN
nmod:poss
Number=Sing
Lincoln
Lincoln
PROPN
NNP
case
's
's
PART
POS
nmod
Number=Sing
Land
Land
PROPN
NNP
punct
,
,
PUNCT
,
nsubj
Number=Sing
Mary
Mary
PROPN
NNP
flat
Number=Sing
Burtschi
Burtschi
PROPN
NNP
root
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin
tell
tells
VERB
VBZ
case
of
of
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Ind|PronType=Art
a
a
DET
DT
obl
Number=Sing
conversation
conversation
NOUN
NN
case
between
between
ADP
IN
nmod
NumForm=Word|NumType=Card
one
one
NUM
CD
case
of
of
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
amod
Degree=Pos
original
original
ADJ
JJ
nmod
Number=Plur
surveyor
surveyors
NOUN
NNS
case
of
of
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
nmod
Number=Sing
town
town
NOUN
NN
cc
and
and
CCONJ
CC
det
Definite=Ind|PronType=Art
a
a
DET
DT
compound
Number=Sing
Vandalia
Vandalia
PROPN
NNP
conj
Number=Sing
resident
resident
NOUN
NN
punct
.
.
PUNCT
.
The surveyor, Colonel Greenup, explained that Van was suggested by one of the men.
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
The
DET
DT
nsubj
Number=Sing
surveyor
surveyor
NOUN
NN
punct
,
,
PUNCT
,
appos
Number=Sing
Colonel
Colonel
PROPN
NNP
flat
Number=Sing
Greenup
Greenup
PROPN
NNP
punct
,
,
PUNCT
,
root
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin
explain
explained
VERB
VBD
mark
that
that
SCONJ
IN
nsubj:pass
Number=Sing
Van
Van
PROPN
NNP
aux:pass
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin
be
was
AUX
VBD
ccomp
Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass
suggest
suggested
VERB
VBN
case
by
by
ADP
IN
obl
NumForm=Word|NumType=Card
one
one
NUM
CD
case
of
of
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
nmod
Number=Plur
man
men
NOUN
NNS
punct
.
.
PUNCT
.
He recommended this as an abbreviation to the word vanguard meaning the forefront of an advancing movement.
nsubj
Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs
he
He
PRON
PRP
root
Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin
recommend
recommended
VERB
VBD
obj
Number=Sing|PronType=Dem
this
this
PRON
DT
case
as
as
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Ind|PronType=Art
a
an
DET
DT
obl
Number=Sing
abbreviation
abbreviation
NOUN
NN
case
to
to
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
nmod
Number=Sing
word
word
NOUN
NN
appos
Number=Sing
vanguard
vanguard
NOUN
NN
acl
VerbForm=Ger
mean
meaning
VERB
VBG
det
Definite=Def|PronType=Art
the
the
DET
DT
obj
Number=Sing
forefront
forefront
NOUN
NN
case
of
of
ADP
IN
det
Definite=Ind|PronType=Art
a
an
DET
DT
amod
VerbForm=Ger
advance
advancing
VERB
VBG
nmod
Number=Sing
movement
movement
NOUN
NN
punct
.
.
PUNCT
.