FOREFATHERS' DAY. 



321 



the primitive Christian Church. (See Dr. Herbert 

 Adams's "Germanic Origin of New England 

 Towns.") The "Mayflower " company consisted of 

 102 persons, 73 males and 29 females. Of the 34 

 .adult males who formed the responsible body, 

 and of whom more than half were from Leyden, 

 18 had wives, and 14 had children under age, of 

 whom 20 were boys and 8 girls. There were 

 also 3 maid servants and 19 men servants, sailors, 

 and artisans. To the compact made before land- 

 ing 41 signatures were added. Of the company 

 the names of but five have thus far been cer- 

 tainly found in written records in England. 

 After the first winter of afflictions the colony 

 grow by continued accessions. When in October, 

 1091, Plymouth, or the "Old Colony," lost its 

 .separate existence, and was merged in Massa- 



students then sang an appropriate song. At sun- 

 set a cannon was fired and the flag hauled down. 

 In the evening, the president, sitting in William 

 Bradford's chair, read twelve toasts, which were 

 followed by speeches, reminiscences, and conver- 

 sation, until 11 o'clock, when a cannon was fired, 

 and the club and company withdrew. In 1770 a 

 delivered, but in 17 



formal address was 



1773 the 



club disbanded on account of opinions being at 

 variance on topics arising out of Great Britain's 

 treatment of the colonies. The town of Plymouth 

 then voted to keep up the celebration, which was 

 done usually in church with a sermon. Exer- 

 cises were suspended from 1780 to 1794, but re- 

 sumed with tolerable regularity until 1819 when 

 the Pilgrim Society was formed, before whom 

 such orators as Webster, Everett, Choate, Win- 



NORTH SEA 



MAP SHOWING THE THREE HOMES OF THE PILGRIMS. 



chusetts, but two of the original passengers in the 

 " Mayflower " survived. The day of the landing, 

 often remembered and celebrated privately, and 

 referred to in church worship, was not publicly 

 and formally commemorated until 1769. By an 

 unfortunate error made in changing the date 

 from old to new style, Dec. 22 was fixed as 

 the day, and still in many quarters holds its 

 own by force of tradition. On Dec. 18, 1769, 

 seven gentlemen at Plymouth, Mass., formed 

 "The Old Colony Club" to celebrate "the land- 

 ing of our worthy ancestors in this place." After 

 the firing of a cannon and the hoisting over their 

 hall of a silk flag inscribed " Old Colony, 1620," 

 they met at 11 A. M. and dined at Rowland's inn 

 at 2.30 P. M. on local dishes " dressed in the plain- 

 est manner (all appearance of luxury and ex- 

 travagance being avoided in imitation of our an- 

 cestors, whose memory we shall ever respect)." 

 Returning to their hall, a company of descend- 

 ants of the first settlers greeted them with a 

 volley of small arms and cheers, which latter 

 were returned. A company of grammar-school 

 VOL. xxx. 21 A 



throp, and Storrs have delivered orations. On 

 Aug. 1, 1853, the anniversary of the embarka- 

 tion of the Pilgrims from Delftshaven was cele- 

 brated, and the proposal formally presented of 

 erecting at Plymouth, Mass., the superb granite 

 monument which was dedicated with imposing 

 ceremonies in the summer of 1889. The public 

 observance of Forefathers' Day outside of New 

 England may be said to have begun when the 

 New England Society of the City of New York 

 was formed, May 6, 1805, " to commemorate the 

 landing of the 'Pilgrim Fathers on Plymouth 

 Rock ; to promote friendship, charity, and mu- 

 tual assistance ; and for literary purposes." This 

 society, incorporated April 15, 1833, now num- 

 bers over 1,500 members, representing vast 

 wealth, intellect, and social power, Its annual 

 gatherings on Forefathers' Night (Dec. 22), are 

 amona: the most brilliant of any in the metropo- 

 lis, the chief orators from all parts of the coun- 

 try being summoned to do honor to the Pil- 

 grims or to furnish wit for the occasion. Oth- 

 er New England Societies in Brooklyn, Phila- 



