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STEVENS POINT DAILV JOUFNAEMEMORIALTOLD FOR FIRST TIMEBy NBA ServiceColumbus, Oa —To the women of CoJumbuH, Georgia, belongs the honor of having concehed Memorial Day us we know It today- The flrst observance was on April 26, 1866.Charleston, S. C., had previously hold a. form Of memorial exercise on May 1, 1S65, sonbibting of dedication ceremonies of the ground where 257 Union soldiers wore buried. Ten thousand persons attended the exercises, which were arranged by James Ited-palh, general superintendent of education, But as this gathering was called for the single purpose of dedicating a cemetery, it could hardly be regarded as tho first Memorial day.”There were no festivities in connection with the first Memorial day lu Columbus. This wua a day of sad memories.From 3861 to the end of the war Columbus hud a Ladies' Aid Society, iLs purpose being tu eaie for soldiers, ill or wounded, who might come homo or who could bo reached in the field. In January, 1866, shortly aftor the end of the struggle, MlcS Lizzie Ruther-lord asked Mis. Jane Martin, a resident of Greenville who was visiting In Columbus, to Join a number of other women at Linwood cemetery in looking ufLer the graves of soldiers who had died In Columbus hospitals.The duty of devotion finished, MIsq Rutherford and Mrs. Murtm discussed the significance of the work they hud been doiugMn Uie cemetery.J‘Let us continue tho Ladies’ Aid Society foi work of this character, said Misa Rutherford.Keeling Culled“Within u few days, in January of1SG5, she called a meeting of the society at the home of Mrs. John Tyler. The house still stands. Those present wore Mrs. Robert Carter, president; Mrs. R. A. Ware, Mrs. William G. Woolfolk, Mrs Clara M. Dexter, Mrs. J. M 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 E, Johnston surrendered 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 It Death has 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. Because she 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.Raphlly Miss Rutherford’s idea spread through the south. Mrs. John A. Logan, wife of General Logan, com-mander-in-chie£ of the G. A. R., learned of the practice while ,visiting 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 tlie United States but all o^er the world,* **************U. A* JL HEAD'S MESSAGE ** Hj Lewis S. LTIcIier, *v Oommander-in-Cliief, Grand Arnsy ** of Uie Republic v*************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 of the Giand Army rejoice to sec the sUlwart sons of Amenca carry on the colors we bore so long. We pass on the love of our country to our successors.
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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