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. <sep>, Pronoun: He <sep>, A: Colonel Greenup <sep>, B: Van