Show THANKSGIVING Thanksgiving day did not originate originate originate nate in the United States but days of thanksgiving were set aside for special purposes many centuries ago Days set set apart for special thanksgiving to the Lord were known to the Israelites and are mentioned throughout the Bible They were not uncommon in in England England England Eng Eng- land before the Reformation and among Protestants afterward The first thanksgiving held in North America was wa's conducted by an English minister named in 1578 on the shores of Newfound Newfound- land The pastor accompanied the expedition under Frobisher which brought the first English colony to settle on those shores The earliest record of any observance observance observance ance of at a similar service within the present territory of the United States was held by the Popham colony settled settled settled set set- at Sagadahoc on the coast of Maine in August 1607 But Dut the real origin of ThanksgivIng Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Thanks Thanks- giving as a day specially set apart for lor pra prayer er end and rejoicing must be at attributed attributed attributed at- at to Governor Bradford first governor of Massachusetts colony col col- ony In gratitude for the plenteous harvest of 1 1621 G 21 following upon a period of ot great depression he proclaImed proclaimed proclaimed pro pro- claimed a day of thanksgiving to be observed December 13 old style styled of oC that year In practical furtherance of ot his proclamation he at once set out four foup men in search of game Thus early in the history of at the day does our good friend the turkey make is appearance appearance appearance ap ap- ap- ap for successful In their quest the four sportsmen returned struggling under a burden of ot wIldfowl wild wildfowl wildfowl fowl principally turkeys sufficient to meet the he wants of the colony for fora a week |