Norwich bulletin., 1921-06-20
obH INCIDENTS IN AMERICAN
 HlsroRY
THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR
THANKSGIVING DAY


 day of thanksgiving following the ingathering of a harvest has been ob- served by many nations for a number of centuries. America came to the custom from England, and the first Thanksgiving service on the continent was not held within the bonds of the United States but on the bleak and rugged coast of New foundland. It was ch Monday, May 27, 1878, by the Rev. Mir. W6lfall, an English minister, who accompanied an early colony from the mother country This it is claimed was the first occasion on which Christian sermon was preach ed in the New World, and the first time the Sacrament of the Lords Supper was celebrated
 There has been some dispute as to the actual origin of the Thanksgiving festival in this country. Mrs. Alice Morse Earle, in her book, ''Old New England ob- serves that the first Thanksgiving was not observed either by the Plymouth Pilgrims or the "Bston Puritans," but that such observance was first heard on the New England shores on August [, 1907, from the lips of the Popham colo nists at Monhegan, Me, in the Thanks giving service of the Church of Eng l land.
 | In tracing the history of the American | Thanksgiving a more significant event i than that recorded by Mrs Earle is found in the family Bible of William White: William White married in ye | Sd day of March, 1920, to Susannah Til- | ly. Peregrine White, born on board ye Mayf1ower in Cape Cod harbor. Some born 10 Susannah White, December 10, | 1920. Next day we met for prayer and thanksgiving.
 This meeting was not the regular Sun 1 day service, for 1t occurred on Tuesday. | But there was lot feast worthy of spe- | city mention, and this Is, therefore, not regarded as the origin of the American national custom. The exact date was December 13, 1927. The record of res tivities of that occasion Is contained in a letter written by Edward Winslow to Q friend in England.
 l This letter states: Our harvest being gotten in. our governor sent four men on fowEng that so we might, after a spe- cial manner, rejoice together after we had gathered the fruits of our labors 1 They killed as much fowl as with a lit tie help besides served the company about a week. At whica times anong 2 other recreations, we exercised our arms.
 many of the Indians coming amongst us, and amongst the rest their greatest
 King. Massasoyt and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought and bestowed on cur governor and up the captains and others
 After the arrival of the ship Success n July. 1880. cane the first Thanksgiv-
 ing proposed by the civil authorities The first Thanksgiving proclamation ir Boston was issued for February 22, 1880 The winter had been hard one. Food was nearly gone and hunger aRd scurvy , abounded The Success brought the de sired rekef and the people gathered to- , gether in their meeting houses and gave
 God solemn thanks for their deiiverance
 For thirty years, dating from 1880 there were observed ten Thanksgivin;
 days in Massachusetts. In 1742 ther, , were two proclaimed by Governor Shirle! ' of Massachusetts, and for a long perio' $ Thanksgiving days were proclaimed onl. f at irregular intervals and for specia , purposes.
 The first proclamation in New York o r which we have any definite knowledg r was that closing the Indian troubles il : 1645. The first national Thank.;givinl $ Day was observed on December IS, 1777 f wrich. after the surrender of Burgoynt
 was appointed by congress as "a day fo 7 the American people to thank God 10 , independence and peace.
 Ii The first presidential proclamation wa f issued by George Washington, and tn
 date was November 2S, 17S9. Ther
 was some discussion as to the propriet.
 of the presidents asfing the people t
 give thanks for Constitution of whicl some of them did not approve, but e nevertheless, the last Thursday in No