The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-11-22
OCCASION OF
FESTlV I.
Attractive Events That Make
the Thanksgiving Season
Enjoyable.
HOW THE HOLIDAY Il. Us SPENT
football Game, Theatres anc
Family Reunions Services
in all the Churches.

3 In the first volume OF Hening's statutes,
page 123 may bc found the record of the
ealiest proclamation for al annual
Thanksgiving Day, in what Is now the
United States of America. This act Of
the Virginia Assembly commcmoratedft the
deliverancc OF the colony from the Indian
massacre occurring in March, 1922. and Is
wortled thus:
'.rhat the end OF March be yeerly SOL
emnized as holiday, and all other holli-
days Except when they fall two togothcr)
bctwixt tho feast of the Annuntiation Of
the Blessed Virgin and Saint Michael. the
archangel, then only the first to be OBJ
served by reason Of our neccss ties.
ATTENDED SERVICE.
Subsequent Virginia history shows that
for some years at least. the ''holliday'
was observed. and that the Governor and
his household set a proper example by
attending the services In the jamestown
church. which preceded the games and
diversions Of various kinds that followed.
In July, 1925 Governor Bradford. of
Massachusetts, appointed day of
Thanksgiving for rain after drought, but
it was several months subsequent TO the
~
not ''yecrly" celebration. In June, 1862,
Governor Winthrop recommended thanks
giving on account OF action of the British
rrivy council favorable to tho colonies.
and asked the Governor Of Plymouth to
unite with the Massachusetts Bay colony.
Other instances of official proclamations
arc found throughout the passing Of
years, the occa sions for thanksgiving be-
ing, at earlier periods for the arrival OF
supply ships and falling at different sea-
sons Of the year. Afterwards. thanks
wcro returned for haryests and the time
of year became fixed for the autumn,
The Plymouth and Massachusetts records
show that by tho year 1850 THANKSGIVING
had grown into al annual New England
institution, just flfty-seyen years after
the legalized annual custom in tho Old
Dominion, What Is true OF tho Institution
in New England Is equally true OF Its
history In New York,
OBSERVANCE LAPSED.
During the American Revolution
THANKSGIVING was annually recommended
by Congress, btu the nntionl observance
Iapsed from 1854 to l7S9, when President
Washington proclaimed Il Thanksgiving
for the adoption OF hc Constitution, a
second day was proclaimed by Washing
ton in 1905, for the suppression OF tho
.whskey insurrection by the militia under
'LlSnt Horse ltdTFy LIZ ~ ioi' : - e'''
dent Madison recommended a. tha nks-
giving for peace, which came in the month
OF April.
stlil lilo Official recognition of Thanks
giving, as a civil institution continued to
Et. sectional, and not national feature,
tho "yeerly holiday having been dis
continued In Virginia, while, on the con-
trary tho Governors Of New ENGLAND
States had given permanence TO the day
by official recognition. The Governor OF
Sew York finally followed suit but not
until tho year 1877,
English Virginia was altogether indo-
pendent. After tho close Of tho Revolu-
tion, except ut tho call of the President.
the observance OF THANKSGIVING was con-
fined to tho service in tho churches, the
'prayer-bool o. the Protestant Episcopal
church. ratified In 1883. having recon-
mended the first Thursday In November
as the annual festival unless u different
day should be proclaimed by the civil
authorities.
In 1855, Governor johnson, OF Virginia
recommended a dag of thanksgiving, but
in 1857 Governor. Mise declared 70 do so
be cause he believed himself.