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STEVENS POINT DAILV JOCFNAE1-'Or-At:hreir10 JikMEMORIALTOLD FOR FIRST TIMEUaicraLl-;rra-Lit1-a.-rit0-01!ofc-is11 s fio iteax-:tsag)l-ud31-on,eeia-IC-n-n,id-ot,ik-gaismiat,nsodtoi«Sfli-heaed.1strgolocally NBA Service Columbus, Ga —To the women ot Coin in bus, Georgia, belongs the honor ot having euncehed Memorial Day as we know It today. The ilrflt observance was on April 26, 1866.Charleston, S. C., had previously hold a form of momoriul exercise ou May lr 1865, consisting of dedication ceremonies of the ground where 257 Union soldiers were buried. Ten thousand persons attended the exercises, which were arranged by James Ked-path, general superintendent of education, liut as this gathering was called for the single purpose of dedicating a cemetery, it could hardly be regarded as cho first Memorial day.” There were no festivities in connection with the first Memorial day In Columbus. This was a day of “sad memories.”From IS61 to the end of the war Columbus had a Ladies’ Aid Society, Us purpose being tu eaie for soldiers, 111 or wounded, who might come homo or who could ho reached in the field. In January, 1SGB, shortly after the end of the struggle, Mlos Lizzie Ruther-lord asked Mis. Jane Martin, a resident of Greenville who was visiting In Columbus, to Join a number of other women at Linwoud cemetery in looking ufter the graves of soldiers who had died in Columbus hospitals.The duty of devotion finished, Mlsg Rutherford and Mrs. Marlin discussed the MgnificjUice of the work they hud been doingMn the cemetery.“Let us continue tho Ladies’ Aid Society foi work of this character,” said Mist* Rutherford.Meeting CalledWithin a few days, iu January of18G5, Bhe 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. Woolfolk, Mrs Clara M. Dexter, Mrs. J. 2VL McAllister, and Mrs. Charles J. Williams. Neither Miss Rutherford nor Mrs. Martin were able to attend, both being out of the city.This meeting formed itself into the first Ladies' Memorial Association, 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, giving two reasons. first, that it was a day of sad memories, the date upon which General Joseph fi, Johnston sui*renderetr his army to tho Federals, an act that sealed the fate of the Confederacy; second, it was a date when flowers would be plentiful.Witness Describes ItDeath hau claimed all the women who attended the January meeting. There is one person alive, however, who has personal knowledge of the gathering. She is Mrs. M. E. Gray, daughter of Mrs. Tyler. Lccause sho was only 14, her mother did not permit her to come into the room, but she attended the hist exercises held the following April 26 at the St. Luke Methodist church.Rapidly Miss Rutherford’s idea spread through the south. Mrs. John A. Logan, wife of General Logan, com-mander-m-chief of the G. A. R.. learned of the practice whlle^visitmg in the south. At her urgent request, General Logan Issued an order to all Grand Army posts to celebrate Memorial Day on May 30, 1868.As the years passed, state after state has, by an act of legislature, set aside one day each spring as Memorial Day. While most states celebrate May 30, others have set aside April 26, May 10 and June 3.The American Legion is now urging that May 30 be made a universal Memorial day, not only throughout the United States hue all o\er the world.*'■*vv***** *********ti. A, It. HEAD’S MESSAGE * It} Lewis S- Pilcliei1, *OomMnuricr-iii-Chlef, Grand Army * of the Republic *The Grand Army is giving away toyounger veterans of later wars the duty and privilege of carrying on instruction in devotion to the nation’s heroic dead-Memorial Day is not a day for sports and games. It is not a holiday but a holy day. It belongs not to the Grand Army but to all.We ot the Giand Army rejoice to sec the sLalwart sons of Ameuca carry on Lhe colors we bore so long. We pass on the love of our country to our successors.ter of principle with me not to re-mo there is tho most extruoidmaiyDiiQi ip nominMfailure of the pioluhition law. Citizens ot Portage county, so long asyou liear of flues of from SI-00 to S200
Newspaper Details
Stevens Point Daily Journal
Stevens Point, Wisconsin, US
Mon, May 29, 1922
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Dianne P.
WI, USA 20 Mar 2019
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