IMH 74:4 351

"Chronicles of Upper Burnet" (1)

Thursday November 25th.

Thanksgiving Day was not observed here. Father and Alvin spent the time in ceiling up the kitchen, overhead.
They did not get quite done and have another day's work I think on the sides I chopped wood and chored
around. My jaw is still swelled and ever since last Saturday, eating has been a painful operation to me. This
is growing a trifle monotonous. The new snow was about four inches deep this morning The day was cloudy
till night then clear. It neither froze in the shade nor thawed much in the sun

Teaching Notes: Ask the students to speculate on why "Thanksgiving Day was not observed here." If they
do some research on the history of Thanksgiving, they will discover that President Lincoln made a Thanksgiving
Proclamation in 1863 . It is likely that the Harrison's lack of observing Thanksgiving came because of their strong
Democratic leanings and would defiantly not follow a proclamation made  by a Republican President
( Hayes at this time). Students might also enjoy the controversy that surrounded the "Two Thanksgivings" of Franklin
Roosevelt's era.

Again we see evidence that William Gregory was experiencing an abscessed tooth.