White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1923-05-25
WOMAN STARTED
MEMORIAL DAY
Originated in Georgia in 1866.
North Did Not Borrow Gus
tom Until IL Years Later
By H. X. James

"Who originated Memorial Day?"
"Are memorial day and decoration
day the same?"
'When and where was the custom
first observed?"
These and similar questions have
been asked and answered 80 often
that 1t would seem every one knows,
yet, the world forgets quickly.
How many really know?
The practise Of periodically dec
Grating with flowers the graves Of
Those who before us pass the door
Of darkness through" Is many CEN
turtles old but to Georgia woman,
Miss Lizzie Rutherford,-is ac-
corded credit for originating in this
country the custom Of setting apart
day on which to pay reverence to
the departed and to a Georgia city
-Columbus-is accorded the distinc-
ton of being the first to formally
memorabilia day-April 26, 1866
which was set aside with imposing
ceremonials as the day on which to
do homage at the graves of Dixie's
dead.
How 1t Originated
One day in January 1866, group
Of members of the Columbus Ladies'
Aid society went to Linwood ceme-
terry to place flowers on the graves
of soldier dead. In the number was
Miss Rutherford. On the way home
she related German story she had
just completed which described a
custom established thousand years
before by the head of the Catholic
church, that of decorating annually
with flowers, the graves of the de-
parted. So impressed was Miss
Rutherford with this idea that she
proposed to her companions she
would offer resolution at the next
meeting of the society that they
merge the aid society into a memoir
ial association, having for its pur-
pose care of the graves OF soldier
dead and propose that they set apart
a special day for the decoration OF
those graves with flowers. This she
did, and when they discussed an ap-
propriate day for this servicve it was
! Miss Rutherford who suggested the
date of General Johnson's surrender
as a suitable time. This suggestion
too, was accepted and from this &C
ton Memorial day was born in the
| South.
| Letters were sent to the press and
women Of the South asking for their
cooperation ito aid in the effort to set
| apart certain day to be observed
annually, from the Potomac to the
Rio Grande, to be handed down as a
religious custom Of the south. to
wreath the graves OF martyred dead
with flowers" Thus the beautiful
inspiration spread and the South
consecrated herself to the holy
charge.
North Rorrows Custom
The custom was not adopted In
tho north until ii years later. In
1867, Mrs. Logan, wife OF General
Logan of the Federal army, while
visiting in the south witnessed tho
observance of Memorial day, and
exercises, that when she returned
she described what she had sctn te
her husband The custom pleased
Ills fancy and he Introduce. reso.
lu-icn before the general assembly
praying for the setting aside Of a
particular day on which the graves
Of the Union dead should be decor
ated BY legislative enactment the
s0th of May was named Decoration
Day." The later date being selected
to permit freedom from snow in the
more northern states.
South OF the Mason ard Dixon line
when they make their annual pill
grimage on April 26, to the city OF
the dead, to adorn with flowers their
soldiers graves it is Memorial day.
In the North when throngs bear
floral tributes to the sad abodes OF
death ON May 80, 1t Is Decoration
day.
But whether In North on May 30,
or In the South on April 20. city and
village alike pause with reverent
thoughts for those departed and
with the rarest treasures OF garden
and greenhouse give tangible express
sion to their homage at the graves
! Of departed relatives and friends and
| particularly to the peerless dead who
laid down their lives upon the altar
Of patriotism,