Happy Thanksgiving

Pilgrim Mother Monument, a photo by midgefrazel on Flickr.

 Pilgrim Women

Symbol of the Families Who Came on the Mayflower

One of the four adult women to survive the first winter of 1620-21 to be able to make the harvest meal in the fall of 1621 was my ancestor Eleanor Billington. We don't know her maiden name.

I doubt that she looked anything like this demure woman as the Billingtons were a rough and hardy family. This monument called The Pilgrim Mother, erected by the DAR, is one of my favorites in Plymouth, MA. She looks solemn and is holding a Bible.

I like to think about how those women must have felt preparing and serving food (for several days) to all those men and the Native American men too. No matter how hard we work at a meal; they worked harder.

Pause for a moment  today and remember your ancestors and give thanks for all that you have. Blogging will resume next week!

Turkey Hat

Turkey Hat
Originally uploaded by midgefrazel

This is my lovely daughter. She is a Kindergarten teacher which makes her a bit wild and crazy at times. Her sister-in-law gave her this hat to wear at the school event lunch. The theme was being thankful.

I can't imagine where she inherited this attitude, can you?

PS. This hat was purchased at a local New England chain of discount variety called Christmas Tree Shoppe.

Thanksgiving at Mystic

November 1874

"Thanksgiving was kept as usual by numerous family reunions....Among the most notable perhaps of them, is the annual Thanksgiving gathering of that portion of the Denison family who are descendants of Isaac and Levina Denison...This year, 53 sat down to a turkey dinner and 57 to supper...it was one of the most enjoyable scenes we have known.

Such too was the custom of the fathers. So Deacon Sands Fish, the father of Mrs. Denison, our genial hostess, was accustomed to call together his children and grandchildren as long as he and his wife lived, and so we can trace back the observance of this New England festival in this and other families to the early settlement of the country.

May it be continued to the latest generation...."

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