St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1897-11-12
The History of Thanksgiving Day.

The earliest record which we have OF
an American Thanksgiving day is found
in the New England annals OF 1921. In
the autumn of that year Governor Brad
ford, so saith the chronicler, sent out
men to procure some game, in order that
the New England colonists might prop
erly enjoy day OF thanksgiving i'll re-
membrance OF the fruits OF their labors
during the year that had passed. An
other day of rejoicing was set apart and
"solemnized" as "a day of thanksgiving
unto the Lord" after an abundant har-
vest in 1922. 1t is stated that, on this
occasion, Massasoit and his council Of
braves were invited to participate in the
festivities, and that they did so, spending
three days in feasting. Evidently the
Indian friends of the colonis's found
Thanksgiving day day to be made the
most OF.
These Thanksgiving days were not,
however, of official character. The first
official public Thanksgiving day was not
until the year 1851; and even this day
was not at first intended to be day OF
rejoicing and thanksgiving. 1t had been
set apart as day of fasting and prayer
for relief. The coonists were in great
distress famine was imminent; a vessel
laden with provisions, and long at sea,
had not arrived. But just before the day
blasting came, the ship made port; and
the day was officially changed by the
authorities from a day OF sorrow to
day OF thanksgiving. This was the first
real Thanksgiving day of the American
people.
Thanksgiving days were occasionally
observed also in the New Netherland
after his date; but it was rot until Feb
ruary, 1914, that another official Thanks
giving day was proclaimed. That year
Governor Kieft proclaimed "a day of
general thanksgiving" the occasion being
The victory of the colonists over the In
dams. At the conclusion OF the peace, in
1915, another Thanksgiving day was
proclaimed. We are not told that the
Indians were invited to this ceremony.
Occasional days of fasting, prayer, and
thanksgiving were kept by the various
colonists, at different times; but no gen.
eral Thanksgiving day was set apart,
until 1775, when the Continental con-
gress adopted the practice of designating
such days The first was Thursday, July
90, 1775. The following Thanksgiving
days were also suggested by the Conti-
mental congress: Friday, May II, 1916;
December II, 1776; Wednesday, April 6,
1880; Thursday, May 3, 1881; Thurs
day, April 25, 1882. These days were
in the form OF recommended
lions to the states, whose governors
were asked to issue proclamations to
their peoples for days of thanksgiving.
Business, with one exception. was sus-
pended on these occasions. Washington
also issued special proclamation to the
Colonial army for general Thanksgiv-
ing day on Thursday, December IS,
1777; and again on May 7, 1878.
The first national Thanksgiving day
was by proclamation of President Wash
ington, set for Thursday, November &c,
1888. The second was set for Thursday,
February 10, 1895. The honor of the
first suggestion seems to belong to Rep
resentative Elias Boudinot, who moved,
in the house, that the President be re-
quested to recommend "a day of Thanks
giving and Prayer, to be observed by the
people of the United States" There was
some opposition to the motion, the OBJ
jections advanced being that such thing
might tend to imitation of the frivoities
and pomps of kingdoms and other HARM
full doing; but the motion prevailed, and
Thursday, November &c, 1889, became
the first national Thanksgiving day of
the American people.
Other presidents, after Washington,
issued Thanksgiving day proclamations,
from time to time; until now it lis become
the annual practice of the President of
the United States to name the last Thurs
day in November as day to be observed
by thanksgiving and prayer. Governors
OF states issue their proclamations to cor
respond, thus making the observance
uniform throughout the land.
In the New England states Thanksgiv-
ing day has been observed annually for
over century. The custom has ex.
tended to other states, one at a time,
until, today, it prevails almost every
where in the country, and is observed by
Americans in foreign lands with senti-
ment that is not only religious but patri-
otto. 1t is legal holiday also. Accord
ing to the official reports on the subject
in 1898 there were, at that date, but
eight sections of the country where
Thanksgiving day was not recognized:
Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia,
Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Utah.
The rest OF the Union had adopted the
general custom. Latest reports (1S97)
show that there are now but three Sec
tions in which Thanksgiving day is not
officially recognized - Alabama, Lou
isiana, Mississippi.-[ From IA Few Min
utes with the Editor" in Godey's Maya
zine for November.