Another early reference is from John Dyer's epic poem _The Fleece_ (about sheep and all things woolly), which has a verse:

   Wild rove the flocks, no burdening fleece they bear 
   In fervid climes: nature gives nought in vain. 
   Carmenian wool on the broad tail alone 
   Resplendent swells, enormous in its growth: 
   As the sleek ram from green to green removes, 
   On aiding wheels his heavy pride he draws, 
   And glad resigns it for the hatter's use.
   Ev'n in the new Columbian world appears 
   The woolly covering: Apacheria's glades, 
   And Canses, echo to the pipes and flocks 
  
   Of foreign swains.

There's a nice discussion of Columbus' role in American history, esp. in the 18th Century (including the use of the term Columbia), here:

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~CAP/COLUMBUS/col3.html

A couple of articles that may help:

Cavaioli, Frank J. "Columbus and the Name Columbia." Italian Americana 1992 11(1): 6-17. 

Schlereth, Thomas J. "Columbia, Columbus, and Columbianism."  The Journal of American History, Vol. 79, No. 3, Discovering America: A Special Issue. (Dec., 1992), pp. 937-968.

Steele, Thomas J. "The Figure of Columbia: Phillis Wheatley Plus George Washington."  New England Quarterly 1981 54(2): 264-266.

Hope this helps!

--Eric

Eric D. M. Johnson
Proprietor
The Village Factsmith Historical Research & Consulting
http://www.factsmith.com/
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