Thanksgiving

The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth

By Jennie A. Brownscombe (1850-1936).

Painted in Honesdale, PA, or New York, 1914.

The day is almost here, and we talk about cooking turkeys or the vegetarian equivilant. We have thoughts of pumpkin pie and family around the table and many of us will say a few words about being thankful for this or that, but if you think about the word Thanksgiving, it seems to mean so much more than just a few words of thanks.
As a modern people we discuss how we are learning the value of gratitude and how much better we feel if we count our blessings and perhaps even go to the extent of keeping a gratitude journal, only thing is, this is not a new concept. Its as old as recorded time. The Pilgrims knew of all the verses regarding a Thankful heart. H.U. Westermayer wrote, "The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving.” That is Thanksgiving !
We tend to think of thanksgiving this time of year more as a Noun, but it's a Verb too. It is an action word. Try to think less about the meal, the gluttony or the football game and think more about entering each and every day with Thanksgiving for what we have.
Pslam 69:30 I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.
I am the 10th great grand-daughter (maternal grandmothers family) of Francis Cooke who was at that very first Thanksgiving day. I wonder often about what his life was like that first year in Plymouth and what faith he must have had to take on such a difficult life for religious freedom. I feel a bit spoiled when I think about my life and all I have. I wonder what I would be willing to give up if I could not worship in freedom.

A little history of that first Thanksgiving...

There are 2 (and only 2) primary sources for the events of autumn 1621 in Plymouth : Edward Winslow writing in Mourt's Relation and William Bradford writing in Of Plymouth Plantation
Edward Winslow, Mourt's Relation :
In modern spelling "our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together, after we had gathered the fruits of our labors; they four in one day killed as much fowl, as with a little help beside, served the Company almost a week, at which time amongst other Recreations, we exercised our Arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and amongst the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five Deer, which they brought to the Plantation and bestowed on our Governor, and upon the Captain and others. And although it be not always so plentiful, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plenty."

William Bradford, Of Plimoth Plantation :
In modern spelling "They began now to gather in the small harvest they had, and to fit up their houses and dwellings against winter, being all well recovered in health and strength and had all things in good plenty. For as some were thus employed in affairs abroad, others were exercised in fishing, about cod and bass and other fish, of which they took good store, of which every family had their portion. All the summer there was no want; and now began to come in store of fowl, as winter approached, of which this place did abound when they came first (but afterward decreased by degrees). And besides waterfowl there was great store of wild turkeys, of which they took many, besides venison, etc. Besides, they had about a peck of meal a week to a person, or now since harvest, Indian corn to that proportion. Which made many afterwards write so largely of their plenty here to their friends in England, which were not feigned but true reports."

THE 53 PILGRIMS AT THE FIRST THANKSGIVING :
4 MARRIED WOMEN : Eleanor Billington, Mary Brewster, Elizabeth Hopkins, Susanna White Winslow.5
ADOLESCENT GIRLS : Mary Chilton (14), Constance Hopkins (13 or 14), Priscilla Mullins (19), Elizabeth Tilley (14 or15) and Dorothy, the Carver's unnamed maidservant, perhaps 18 or 19.9 ADOLESCENT BOYS : Francis & John Billington, John Cooke, John Crackston, Samuel Fuller (2d), Giles Hopkins, William Latham, Joseph Rogers, Henry Samson.13
YOUNG CHILDREN : Bartholomew, Mary & Remember Allerton, Love & Wrestling Brewster, Humility Cooper, Samuel Eaton, Damaris & Oceanus Hopkins, Desire Minter, Richard More, Resolved & Peregrine White.22
MEN : John Alden, Isaac Allerton, John Billington, William Bradford, William Brewster, Peter Brown, Francis Cooke, Edward Doty, Francis Eaton, [first name unknown] Ely, Samuel Fuller, Richard Gardiner, John Goodman, Stephen Hopkins, John Howland, Edward Lester, George Soule, Myles Standish, William Trevor, Richard Warren, Edward Winslow, Gilbert Winslow.

information from http://www.pilgrimhall.org/