Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1908-11-27
History Thanksgiving Day
Observance In America

Although Thanksgiving Day. for iSeS
has passed into history. the following
contains some facts regarding the
holiday that are not generally ks'owns
Where were Thanksgiving services
first heldI
In England. during the time of CroaI,
well. Thanksgiving days we've NAmusH''
occurrences.
The discovery OF the 'EunpowSr
| plot. in 1903 WAS followed by a thanks
| giving i'll England and ;hA; uStiNu
| observed such = day va many like
occasions. the last p0lUhly hSlnS \
national thanksgiving when che Prince
| of Wales, now Edward VII, ~nNcNvercd
from y serious illuc>>
Where and when WIS The dH:
THANKSGIVING observance in the New
World:
The first thanksgiving held in Amer
ici WAS not held within the bounds Of
the United States but on the shore Of
Newfoundland. Man -, i51>. NJ the
time services were held 10y the Rev.
Mr.. WolfyLl. AN English minister. He
had accompanied an early colony from
England. Ii is clLimed that it WAS the
first Christian ermo preached in the
new w ,.I,I.
When WAS the first Thanksgiving
Proclamation in this county
November 10. 1921; made by Cover
nor Bradford to the Pilgrim Fathers.
He announced that since they had just
gathered abundant harvests Of grain
and the cold weather had sent plenty
of game to their forests December IL.
1921, would be observed throughout
the Plymouth colony rs II day Of
Thanksgiving.
Who signed the first Thanksgiving
Proclamation eve issued 10y a prcsi-
dcntI
George Washington, i'll l;c?.
Who originated the modern Thanks
giving Day, Us it is observed in the
United Statcsg
The Thanksgiving rs it occurs to-
day, dates from 1864, when President
Lincoln issued II proclamation for set
ting apart the lust Thursday in Novcm-
Der of that year, a. Il day of national
thanksgiving.
Each succeeding president has mnu
ally proclaimed "a thanksgiving day.
which is generally followed 10y similar
proclamutions by the governors of tie
various states.
Who makes the Thanksgiving p~rocla-
nation?
The president Of the United States.
How is it done?
The president writes 1t ont with his
" hand, trying to put in AZ much Of
tn" spirit of the day aS possible. This
is not an easy task. lie must avoid
repeating expression, that have been
used by preceding presidents, and yet
he must cover the same ground that
they cover. When he has finished writ
ing it ont it is copied and this copy Is
sent tn the state department. One OF
the clerks who is Il good prnman
writes the proclamation urti5tically on
| parchment. The parchment is then
sent back 10 the White House. and the
president signs it; after that it is taken
back to the state department. where
the secretary of state adds his name
then the great seal of the state depart
mcut il affixed. In order to pitt tn,
great seal on the proclamation Il not,
from the president is necessary, il
whiClEHhc says: Il hereby authOriz,
and direct the secretary of state t.
cause the seal of the United States t,
he affixed to my Thanksgiving procla
nation, dated this lay and signed b,
me and for 80 doing this shall he hi
warrant"
What is done with the proclamation
when il mas been thus written anC
signed?
\ great many clerks in the state de
partment are then ordered to make !;
many copies of the proclamation Il
there are governors of states and ter
r%itOrics. These copies are written u
hand on long sheets of blue paper. Tn
state department never uses the type
writer or any other means except arts
tic handwriting fo, making copies q
official correspondence.
What do the different governors o
the states do when they have received
their copies of the presidents procla
matiunY
They then write special prorlamu
tions of their own, announcing to tn
people of their states the fact that tn
president has fixed on SUCH and such
day for th" Observance of Thanksgiving
worship and festivities.
----- 1872 60
cTRANoE CAPTURE OF SALMON
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