Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1913-11-20

the land! AS a matter or fact IL is IN
youngest! Practically every yearly observance OF
patriotic nature is more ancient than the eelebra
ing of Thanksgiving day as a regular official
ceremony. :
1t is SO customary in America for one person
to do the pioneering and another to get the
credit that it is no surprise to learn that even
the Mayhower band we're really not entitled to
all the praise as original thanksglvers "nleh
they have been receiving ever since lou. mol
chat there is anything disparaging to be uttered
about those stern moralsts-who seem to have
been adepts in loading a cargo of furniture that
would tax an ocean liner into a little sailing
ship!
They were brave and they deserve the ma
tons remembrance. But ID years before they
landed at Plymouth a group of future colonlsts
had stood on American soil and given thanks at
their deliverance from the periis OF the sea-
This was on Sunday, August 8, 1907, at the Is
land Of Monhegan and an English minister and
a priest Jointly conducted a service OF thanks
giving. The twin ships, Mary and John, and the
fy boat. Gift of God, found their way to the
island after a long, terrible voyage OF soorms
and helplessness. They had neither turkey nor
cranberry sauce, but there was never a more
genuine Thanksgiving day.
This was along the coast of Maine and yet
Massachusetts has, through all the years, been
honored among states as the home or the nrst
!. Thanksgiving service.
OF course the Bay state may be said to have
taken the idea and in the words of a capitalist
developed 1t and put it on a paying OASIS III
Massachusetts such a day was set apart for es-
pecial services, continued fasting and rigorous
giving of thanks almost from the time the Pll'
grim Fathers first landed. But, without meaning
N he faeetious. 1t is obvious that these common
sense folk never believed in giving thanks unless
they had something to be thankful for.
Thus. in 1888, 13, years after the landing at
L-.a -. IL % IL nfn HnIQII
appointed a day of thanks and another in the
wear. following. But then there was a Jump OF
three years during which the colonists did not
celebrate. Why? Certain historians insist IL
was because they were lean" years. II SO, they
must have been followed by three fat ones
as the day was observed regularly until 1859
Again an interval of fateful 10 years and then,
in 1851, the governor once more declared In
2 favor of Thanksgiving. In 1880 the day was set
apart as an annual state holiday and has been
ever since.
But only New York adopted the practice of
having such a day until we'll into the eighteenth
century,! AS early as 1914 the Dutch governor
of New York issued an official proclamation for
a dav Of thanksgiving, but 1t was not followed
each year-varying probably with the governors
ideas or the conditions Of the crops. Like the
famous pagan feast of autumn, 1t originally was
meant chiefly as a public offering Of prayer In
gratitude for the bountiful output Of grain and
fruits which would see the settlers through the
winter.
The other states were being more slowly set
tied and in Maryland and Virginia there was not
so much OF a strong religious atmosphere notice
able as a debonnaire enthusiasm for whatever Of
the good things of life could be had.
The day was observed but not officially. And
always, in the south, 1t was a day of feasting
From the time slavery entered the land thu
Maryland or Virginia colonist pictured Thanks
giving dinner as a scene Of expectant waiting
diners and a round grinning black face to the
rear Of the huge roast turkey on a platter.
About the time Of the struggle Of '76 it came
into its own as a regular holiday and In 17Si
was, for the first time, declared a holiday By
congress and so observed. SO that, really, II II
quite a youthful, immature holiday after all!