Dave LaCourse wrote in
:


It was probably named way back when New York was called New
Amsterdam.That would be old work, Ishudthink. There are several
"kill" rivers besides Fish. Battenkill comes to mind, and I'm sure
there are others.


John Merwin says something about the etymology of the word "kill" in
his book "The Battenkill" (quite a bit more than you'd think you
subject would merit, IIRC). He also spends a little time on the history
of the proper noun "Battenkill" and its pedantic twin "Batten Kill". I
must dig it out and reread (it's getting to be that time of year of
again anyway). I'll post back if it adds to the thread.