Evening journal., 1922-05-30
By NEA service.

By NEA Service.
COLUMBUS. Cato the Women
OF Columbus. Ca, belongs the honor
OF having conceived Memorial Day
as we know It today. The first OBJ
servance was on April 26. 1866:
Charleston, s. c., had previously
held a form of memorial exercise on
May 1, 1865, consisting OF dedication
ceremonies OF the ground where 257
Union soldiers were buried. Ten
thousand persons attended the ex-
ercises. which were arranged by
James Redpath. general superinten-
dent OF education. But as this gath
ering was called for the single pur-
pose of dedicating a cemetery. Il
could hardly be regarded as the
first Memorial Day"
There were no festivities in con
nection witty the first Memorial Day
in Columbus. This was a day Of
''sad memories"
From 1851 to the end OF the war
Columbus had a Ladies' Aid So
ciety, its purpose being to care for
soldiers. III or wounded, who might
come home or who could be reach
ed in the field. In January, 1866,
shortly after the end OF the strug-
gle, Miss Lizzie Rutherford asked
Mrs. Jane Martin, a resident of
Greenvllle who was visiting in Col
umbus, TO Join a number OF other
women at Linwood cemetery in
looking after the graves Of soldiers
who had died in Columbus hos
pitals.
The duty Of devotion finished.
Miss Rutherford and Mrs. Martin
the significance OF the !
work they had been doing in the
cemetery.
LET us continue the Ladies' Aid
Society for work Of this character"
said Miss Rutherford.
Meeting Called.
Within a few days. in January OF
1865, she called a meeting Of the
society at the home OF Mrs. John
Tyler. The house still stands. Those
present were Mrs. Robert Carter,
president; Mrs. r. A. Ware. Mrs.
william G. voolfolk. Mrs. Clara NJ.
Dexter, Mrs. ]. NJ. McAllister, and |
Mrs. Charles j. Williams. Neither |
Miss Rutherford nor Mrs. Martin |
we're able to attend, both being out |
Of the city.
This meeting formed itself into |
the first Ladies' Memorial Associa-
ton with Mrs. Carter as president |
Nothing was done toward selecting
the date for Memorial Day until
Miss Rutherford returned. To her
was given the honor OF choosing the
date. She selected April 26, Civ
ing two reasons: First, that Il was
day Of sad memories, the date upon
which General Joseph p. Johnston
his army to the Fed
erals. an act that sealed the fate OF
he Confederaey; second, II was a
late when flowers would be plenti-
'ul.
Witness Describes It.
Death has claimed all the women
Who attended the January meeting.
rhere is one person alive, however,
Vho has personal knowledge OF the
,athering. She is Mrs. NJ. 70. Gray,
laughter of Mrs. Tyler. Because she
vas only fourteen, her mother did
Tot permit her TO come into the
oon. but she attended the first ex-
rcises held the following April 26
4 the St. Luke Methodist Church.
Rapidly Miss Rutherford's idea .
pread through the south. Mrs.
ohm A. Logan, wife of General Lo-
an. commander-in-chie Of the G.
r.. learned of the practice while
listing in the south. At her urgent
eauest, General Logan issued an or
Ter TO all Grand Army posts to cele-
rate Memorial Day on May 80, 1865.
AS the years passed, state after
tate has, by an act of legislature,
Of aside one day each spring as
Memorial Day. While most states
Celebrate May 80, others have set
side April 26, May 10 and June 3.
The American Legion is now urg-
ng that May 80 be made a uni
ersal Memorial Day, not only