Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1905-11-29
Thanksgiving Day.

The first Thanksgiving celebration in
,Mu,iern times was in October, 1915, at
S,eyden, on the occasion of the anniver-
saly of that city's deliverauce from
siege Forty-six years later NG2D our
Thanksgiving day may be said to have
tits origin.
After the first harvest of the Plymouth
Colony, in Now England, Gov. Bradford
proclaimed day of thanksgiving, and
sent four men out iuto the wilds to
search for the game which would enable
chem 10 observe the day better. The
Puritan fathers, who were driven by the
intolerance and persecution of State
church to take refuge in this country,
were very thankful for the bountiful
harvest which attended their first year
of trial and anxiety. The four hunters
returned from the woods almost stagger
ing under their load of wild turkeys and
other game. The beginning of the fes-
tival was announced by the roar of a
great gun on the top of a hill Thursday,
October "a, 1921, ten months and three
days after the arrival of the colony in
which marched solemnly to the meeting
house, where Elder Brewster led the
service. Gov. Bradford and Miles Stand
ish joined with the others in tho exer-
.cises. After preaching, the dinner,
which the Puritan women had cooked in
THE open air, was greatly enjoyed. The
meal was followed by the singing of
psalms and songs, which had been learned
around tho firesides of old England
History tells us that in the midst of
the rejoicings of this first American
THANKSGIVING dinner the shouts Of In.
dians were heard and the Puritans were
thrown into momentary panic. Every
man grasped his gun and prepared to
defend his friends and loved ones. These
a. L. g.
led by Chief Massasoit, who had come to
thank the paleiace for assistance he had
rendered, and to join in the festivities of
the occasion. They brought liberal
contribution of venison to the feast, and
while it was being prepared gave their
war dance. Capt. Miles Standish enter
tanned the Indians by putting his troops
through a military drill. The rattle of
the musketry and the sound of the guns
their wan dance had frightened the
demurc Puritan maidens. The feast con-
'tinued three days, during which prayers
Were offered, songs were sung and gus
were fired. The Indians dance and war
whoop also consumed a liberal portion
ot the time. AT the close of the festivi-
ties the Indians were escorted some dis
tance from the camp by Capt. Standish
and his troops, who gave them parting
salute.
Days of Thanksgiving were officially
appointed in the Massachusetts Bay
Colony for several years before l63O
The Dutch rulers OF New Netherlands
also set apart regular days of thanksgiv-
Eng between the years 1914 and 1865, and
n century later the English Governors Of
New York followed their example.
Probably one of the quaintest and
most serious Thanksgiving proclama.
lions ever made was that by Peter Stuy-
'yesant in 1857. Among other things he
said: "In order that these services may
BE observed with the greatest harmony,
She director general and council forbid
during the exercises on the said day Of
thanksgiving all such pleasures as play
ing tennis or ball, hunting, fishing, driy.
ing, plowing, moving, together with all
forbidden plays, as dice, conviviality, and
,Such like, under penalty of arbitrary
punishment, and we admonish at the
same time all ministers of the holy gos.
pei within our jurisdiction to formulate
,their sermons and prayers accordingly"
Throughout the Revolution the annual
recognized by Congress. After peace il
was thought no longer necessary till
President Washington appointed October
3, 1850, as a day of thanksgiving for the
adoption of the Constitution. Washing
CONS second Thanksgiving proclamation
was made in Philadelphia on January |
T705, the occasion to be one of special
observance. His first proclamation, just
referred to, was made in New York, anC
among other things he said: "This day
is to be devoted by tho people of these
states to the service of the great ant
glorious Being who is the Author of al
the good that is, that was, or that viii
be-"
AT the present time the President O.
the United States and the Governors OF
all the States and Territories regularly
issue their Thanksgiving proclamations
and all the people observe the day as 6
holiday, day of feastng, family reunion
and worship.
This year finds some of us rich ant