Godmother Of Thanksgiving National Holiday : Sarah Josepha Hale

My daughter and I went to church together on Thanksgiving Day( November 24, 2016). There was a play by children in church about how Sarah Joseph Hale persuaded President Abraham Lincoln to make Thanksgiving a National Holiday on October 3, 1863. I was truly touched by this play in church.

The letter She wrote to President Lincoln, really had me grow to respect Ms. Sarah Joseph Hale. She had written several letters to President Lincoln about making Thanksgiving a yearly holiday before September 28, 1863. The country was going through a civil war at the time and it was perfect timing for this letter to persuade the president to make it a national festive holiday on October 3, 1863. The northeast (New England states)especially Maryland celebrated Thanksgiving since 1621 but not the whole country.

FUN FACTS: 1621 Harvest Celebration menu was venison, corn, shellfish, cornmeal, beans, nuts, pumpkin, berries, and of course maybe a turkey.

Modern-Day Thanksgiving Menu: Turkey with stuffing, gravy, potatoes, pies and vegetables.

You will find this five-page letter at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.(loc. gov/teachers).

Sarah Josepha Hale was a woman with advanced intelligence. She was home -school because women were not allowed to go to school during her time. She advocated for the first all-women college in the U.S.

She moved to Boston in 1827 and became the editor of the Ladies Magazine. She wrote articles on the importance of education for women to make it publicly acceptable. In 1837 several women's colleges were established in our country. We were the first country in the world that had an all-women College.

Sarah Josephah Hale wrote a book on Slavery being inhuman. She was for anti-slavery. The book was called, Northwood. She established a literary reputation which was also how she was asked by Rev. John Lauris Blake to become his new Ladies’ Magazine for Women editor.

She also wrote the poem Mary Had A Little Lamb, which was published in her book Mary’s Lamb in 1830. She was definitely a remarkable woman in her time.

Sarah Josepha Hale was a wife, a mother of five children, an activist, a poet, and a writer.

Fun Facts: Sarah Josepha Hale was born on October 24, 1788, in Newport, New Hampshire.

She got married to a lawyer in 1813. She met her husband in 1811. David Hale died early of cancer in 1822. She never remarried.

She also was an avid historian. She fundraised for the Bunker Hill Monument and George Washington Farm Home.

She died at the age of 90 years old in 1879.

Bonus Fact: Although President Lincoln made a proclamation declaring the 4th Thursday of November of 1863 a national Thanksgiving day due to Sarah Josepha Hale's Campaign it did get established until the year 1941 when Congress finally made Thanksgiving a national holiday on the fourth Thursday in November.

Sarah wanted the National Thanksgiving Holiday to promote national spirit and demonstrate prosperity of happiness in the American people.

I end this informational story with a Turkey Recipe.

You will need a Turkey, Baking bag that will fit the turkey in, Butter, Chicken Broth, Onions, Carrots, Celery, Salt and Pepper. Cornbread and stove Top Stuffing.

Follow the Stove Top Stuffing box direction and mix the 1/2 cup of baked cornbread in the Stove Top Stuffing, place it in the freezer a few days before you bake the Turkey.

Chopped 1/4 carrots, a whole onion, and 1/4 Celery, season with salt and pepper. Mixed them together with a spoon or your clean hands.

Rub the Turkey at room temperature of butter, the amount of butter will depend on the size of the turkey. Massage the butter on the turkey. Place the frozen stuffing in the Turkey Cavity and mix chopped ingredients in the cavity of the turkey as well.

Place the turkey in the right-size baking bag. Place the turkey in its baking pan and pour the 2 to 4 cups of broth into the bag before tying the bag shut.

Preheat the Oven to 350, Place the Turkey in the oven, and check between an hour to two hours.

a 15-pound turkey will take four hours to cook, it also depends on your oven as well. It is important to check hourly.

If you have a meat thermometer, the internal temperature in the breast area is 165 Fahrenheit.

You can poke holes in the bag for the excess juice to pour into the pan.

You can use the juice to make gravy for the mashed potatoes.

Remove the Turkey from the bag and wait 20 minutes. Remove the stuffings and carve the turkey.

I hope you enjoy this FYI story. Happy Thanksgiving!!!!