The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-11-30
'NO.33
Thanksgiving.
HISTORY OF THE DAY AND ,rs ono ~


Ine 4agdsfme Of american History gives us thu
y. 'no oay we are soon to celebrate and fts
orisin. from the papers learn that the earliest
U"nASsi'ing service was held by the Church Of En-
elano men, The Pophami colonists who, August q
-. w. o.l' ianaed upon Monhegan, near the Ken
ifeoec' ana under the shadow of high cross 10
tened to sermon by Chaplain sevn,o,,r
gooo thanks for our happy meetings ond 80. -
rival In the country"
NoA' "o pass 10 Plymouth, where, in 1921 tho am
'unn ailer Inc arrival, notable Thanksgiving was
nsio. me prief accounts present a joyons n,ctpra
AS we learn from Winslow, the harvest he,no .a,s
| .e'.'' w oo'oinor sent TOUR men out fowling that
% we might after special manner rejoice togath9
W. 1,no inc traditional turkey was added to the
| apunqant venfson. The people gave tbemsa,vas -,
| " Aoeioatioh' ana the great Chief Massosott was
feasted for three days with hts nfnetv -, =
tainers. - - IA' fer i
POSSIBLY, on this first Plymouth thanksctv,ne
| tnore WIS more caroustng than we suppose while
tnere Is not the slightest indication OF ny religions
observance Massasoit and his braves no doubt
enjoyed 1t all greatly the Thanksgiving idea vas
entertained by the Indians before their contac with
'ne whites, and in their celebrations there was nh
oAoess. how much comfortable warm water the
grave and reverend elders themselves consumed
during those three davs ~ ,o,,,.- ~ :.
say. oooS not
= In 1922 there is mention OF thanksgtv,ne.h
In 1923 day was kepE not however in nc
as harvest festival, but In july t,,no ,,a -.
oi some provisions. After this nothing n,ora ,sln
VI 1nanK sg1vfng at Plymouth for ne arIyba,. 60
10y % iar as the colonial records 60 they tndt.
0 'iiat inc cay did not find a revival untt, 1889
- 'oio was some Kind offa thanksgiying Again
uno ~ 1852 there was thanksgiving for the 49,
=, william and Mary In 1890 an autumnal
co,a., was neid' and the next year Plymouth
eoiohy was merged In Massachusetts, and 40 nassas
OUT Oh the story. any festival can be said to bav
Deen established, Il was established in im,t.t, =,
lne customs across the sea- Distinct religions so,
osies' however, may have kept occasional tbanka.
Sings as Inc barnstable, observed THANKSGIVING
vi december %. 1886, and December H. 1889.
AZ 'no massachusetts, colony the first thanksoiv
"o' neio al BOSTON, July s. 1880, 1t being spec
having no reference to harvests. Again
o"' uofy " iool' there was thanksgiving, as al
.,-.. nO10eu. III Inc october following thanks
giving was held for the safe arrival of s.Nrs win
'nrop ana her children" In these appointments
we 40 not nnd the thanksgiving that we know 10
0"' LUZ 10 we detect any full design against Christ
7o' LII io'z, on June ., there was a thanksstv,po
~ io Flc'ories In the .Palatinate, and In October
ano'ner lor Inc harvest. In 1887 there was thanks
g. 80 .oi victory over the Pequots and In 1858 for
,, A'"i VI SLIPS anu Tor the harvest The thanks
si'ihg days from 1884 to 1854 numbered about twsn
" ,ohe' or iiess than one In every two years. The
oeieoration OF 1876 had special reference tn tb
tory over King Philip
from this period until the Ravo1,+,o
saVing.of some kind occurred nearly evarv o,,a .
o0i' anu even twice in the same wear as A., 174o
'olao ol these days were appointed by the rova,
eo'oAnofs' "hlie again they were ord cred by the
Ains OF queen or by the Home Board of rade.
Ai'or Inc close of the Revolution tendency n.
$3.50 onAssVing day regular institution In
~" iorA was at once apparent and Governor John
~ IL i'''' issued proclamation for the IL tn OF
november The act however, was etzed upon nv,
poAtlclans, who maintained that he was seeking =.
u"s'o1 feHglous prejudices. At an early period
aiso, the Mayors of New York were acc,s+oos
appoint day of Thanksgiving in acco rdanca v,,h
e"o Recommendations of the council and that nj
.oiApor 10, 1882 appears to have been the frat an
iet Inc observance OF the day until Gov
~ n'on Time was more or less broken. The
-~Na,. ""' Aep'' however, by Episcopal tans, &C
0o,os ~ inc provisions of the Prayer Book, other
'oAAsoue oooies at The same time following tn cir
wv preferences. clintons course, like Jay s. OK
cited criticism. At the ca st end OF 1,n,. 1sIon,
4nere was no little murmuring, because the dav did
with the local custom. 1t appears that
ths people of East and SouthamntoD o,sar,a,
thanksgiving on the Thursday after cattle vva,
driven nome from the common pastures ar Mon
'"uA Toint tne Gay OF the return the cattle being
nAou annually, with due solemn1ty, at the town
.nooins' Hence -there was a collision, and the
,uen0n were divided, striving as the herdsmen
VI Aofa cattie strove with those of Lot But this
" % III CASE OF an 1mmovable body opposed to an
irresistible Iorce and therefore, opponen is Of
clinton gave way, though not without many exnos
'uiatlons. Here was the beginning OF the move
mentwhich led to the first Presidential proclama
ZION Matchmaking ThankSgivtno dow