The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1933-11-17
BY ELMO SCOTT WATSON

A SIX ten Americans "Why do we cele-
! ! ! !: J; J !: !:
brate Thanksgiving on the last Thurs
day In November" and nine Of them
= probably will answer why that's
N%e because the Pilgrim Fathers who es-
tablished it celebrated it then" And
that, like so many Of our popular
~ beliefs" is only half-truth at best
It's true that the Pilgrim Fathers were
principally responsible for Thanksgiving day be-
ing red-letter day on our calendars. But it's
also true that we owe the establishment OF
thanksgiving day as national holiday on GER
tain date Certain to the extent that 1t always
occurs on the last Thursday in November) main
ly to two persons, a man and a woman to Abra-
ham Lincoln and Sarah Josepha Hale.
But before discussing their part in the matter
Of establishing this popular national holiday,
let's check up bit on the history OF the de-
velopment of Thanksgiving The story OF the
first New England Thanksgiving, from which our
present-day celebration is direct descendant.
is familiar to all Americans-how that first
winter of the Pilgrims in America had been
terrible one of cold and sickness which had LETT
only IS OF the little company of 101 alive when
the spring of 1921 came around how all through (
the summer they watched with the greatest
anxiety the progress of the crops they had sown.
and how when autumn came there was boun-
tiful harvest
Then, according to Mounts Relation, or Jour
nal of the Plantation at Plymouth: sour har-
vest being gotten in. our Gouvenour sent foure
men on fowling that so we might after more
special manner rejouce together, after we had
gathered the fruit of our labours: they foure in
one day killed as much fowe. as with little
helpe besides served the Company almost week,
at which time amongst other RecreatiOns, we
exercised our Armes many of the Indians COM
Eng amongst us, and amongst the rest their
greatest King Massasoyt, with some ninetie men.
whom for three dawes we entertained and
Toasted, and they went out and killed I'VE
Deere which they brought to the Plantation and
bestowed on our Gouvernour,- and upon the Cap
taine and Others" liz
The popular view is that this first Thanks
giving" was the beginning of series of such
celebrations every year. But the fact Is that
the following year, 1922. no such observance oc-
Cured. In 1923 day of thanksgiving was held
but not In the autumn and not in connection
with the harvest 1t was observed on July 30
and had to do with the safe arrival of ship
load of provisions from England
From then on for decades Thanksgiving was
observed In most irregular fashion. Some years
were skipped; some years had more than one
Observation-Disclosures for the arrival of ships.
more often for victory over the Indians, as in the
instance of quelling the Pequots in 1887 and the
defeat OF King Philip in 1916. 1t was not until
1850 that the Massachusetts general court issued
the first recorded formal Thanksgiving proc
>lamation.
During the Revolutionary war the people and
the army observed an annual Thanksgiving day
by proclamation of the Continental congress. but
after peace was declared 1t was discontinued
until 1889. 'sstr |
In that year new element came into the
observance of Thanksgiving and one which has
survived In the present celebration. That was
the Presidential proclamation of Thanksgiving
day for the whole nation and 1t was George
washington the first President who issued such
a proclamation setting aside Thursday, Novem'
Der &C. 1889, as the day.
1t so happened that Thursday, November 20,
1889. was the last Thursday in November that
year and that act-was to have an important
bearing on the later history of Thanksgiving
day, as we shall see farther on in this article j
But although Washington was the first to issue
a Presidential proclamation for national
THANKSGIVING day. he did not establish prece-
dent which was followed consistently. During
his second administration. he again issued a
thanksgiving proclamation. On January ], 1895,