{"storymap": {"call_to_action": true, "call_to_action_text": "", "map_as_image": false, "map_type": "zoomify", "slides": [{"background": {"url": ""}, "date": "", "location": {"line": true}, "media": {"caption": "May Thanksgiving day always realize your fondest expectations, 1910s? John Monroe Postcard Collection, Newberry Library", "credit": "", "url": "//uploads.knightlab.com/storymapjs/bc2171fd2dc65da8b99c6c013d2dc670/thanksgiving/_images/MonroeJ_000915_01_01.jpg"}, "text": {"headline": "Thanksgiving in letters, 1849-1968", "text": "

Thanksgiving is a time for gathering with family, but when that's not possible, long-distance communication has to suffice. During the 19th century, that meant writing letters -- such as those featured here, drawn from the Newberry's Modern Manuscripts Collection. These letters, written by a range of correspondents from a homesick college student to a financially strained Civil War soldier to a proud new father, offer a glimpse into the diverse experiences of Thanksgivings past. Together, they enrich our understanding of America's social and cultural history.

Map: Burlington Route, 1892. Library of Congress

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"}, "type": "overview"}, {"background": {}, "date": "", "location": {"lat": 62.000904713685856, "line": true, "lon": 101.1181640625, "zoom": 5}, "media": {"caption": "Letter, November 20, 1849. Jane Everett letters, Newberry Library", "credit": "", "url": "//uploads.knightlab.com/storymapjs/bc2171fd2dc65da8b99c6c013d2dc670/thanksgiving/_images/497d447fa42b29e69c3e4c3a0e80a88f.jpg"}, "text": {"headline": "Try to imagine, 1849", "text": "Dear Henry,

There are so many [at college] that it is impossible to get acquainted. Every meal the tables are set for 210 persons. It seems like quite a village all in one family. Next week is thanksgiving and many of the young ladies are going home, we shall have a vacation of four days for the accomodation of such. I cannot spend it with you but if you write me some letters, I will place the likenesses that I brought with me around me and (although so many faces will be wanting) try to imagine myself really surrounded by those I love...
Don't forget you have a sister in Mt. Holyoke nor fail to write.

Yours in haste,
Jane Everett

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"}}, {"date": "", "text": {"headline": "Quiet and pleasant and secure from intruision, 1851", "text": "My dear brother,

My week's vacation I passed charmingly in my own quiet and pleasant room, the unpropitious weather, and walking securing from intrusion. I wrote six letters, five of them to the folks at Milo giving all, a call. Thanksgiving day I was not so very happy -- felt uneasy, as if out of place, thoughts of home, of last year's spent at Lucy's, when I myself \"cooked the Thanksgiving\" (thereby hangs our tale), of the cold, clear invigorating air, the deep snow, the company Thanksgiving eve -- the anticipations too, of the winter, the family to be united in sweet companionship as we had not been for a long time....

Your sister,
Anna

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"}, "media": {"url": "//uploads.knightlab.com/storymapjs/bc2171fd2dc65da8b99c6c013d2dc670/thanksgiving/_images/998217878805867_mms_metcalf_box_01_fl_15_005_001.jpg", "credit": "", "caption": "Envelope, 1849. Isaac Stevens Metcalf papers, Newberry Library"}, "location": {"line": true, "lat": 61.83541335794044, "lon": 62.40234375, "zoom": 5}}, {"date": "", "location": {"lat": 43.229195113965005, "line": true, "lon": -4.350585937499999, "zoom": 5}, "media": {"caption": "Envelope, 1863. Henry Patterson and James Patterson papers, Newberry Library", "credit": "", "url": "//uploads.knightlab.com/storymapjs/bc2171fd2dc65da8b99c6c013d2dc670/thanksgiving/_images/991836188805867_midwest_ms_patterson_box_01_fl_021_005.jpg"}, "text": {"headline": "What's to be did, 1862", "text": "Dear ones at home,

Well this is Thanksgiving's day the 24th, had a serman or a speech to day. We've ben off duty today and nothing more- This is about the last of my paper and i'm out of money. What's to be did. We may be payd soon and may not some say we are going to st Louis, yet but no certainty of it. I beleive you had better send me a dollar or so. in your next Well I must close. my pen is pretty near gone up.

\nWith my Prayers and many good wishes I remain Your affectionate Bro and son

Jas Patterson

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"}}, {"background": {}, "date": "", "location": {"lat": 61.689872200460016, "line": true, "lon": 108.369140625, "zoom": 6}, "media": {"caption": "Envelope, 1855 Nathan Kendall and Abby J. Reed Kendall papers, Newberry Library", "credit": "", "url": "//uploads.knightlab.com/storymapjs/bc2171fd2dc65da8b99c6c013d2dc670/thanksgiving/_images/Letters_to_Nathan_Kendall_18521871.jpg"}, "text": {"headline": "All right out at once, 1869", "text": "Dear sister Abby:

...After I'd helped eat the Thanksgiving Turkey I went up to town and had my teeth extracted! Twenty one all right out at once. I took three doses of chloroform however before the dentist got them all out. I did'nt know anything about it till it was all over. Chandler went with me and took care of me. He had his taken out a month before without taking anything. But he did'nt have so many to take out as I did. Well, we both felt a good better after it - How are your teeth? They are going to last a life time are'nt they? 'Tis quite the fashion to have false teeth here (lucky for us) most everybody wears them. We have a very superior dentist here. He makes splendid teeth! I expect I shall want to laugh all the time when I get my new ones. You know I always had miserable teeth. I guess this is enough about teeth....

Yours affectionately,

Mary

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"}}, {"date": "", "location": {"lat": 64.9607663214987, "line": true, "lon": 86.396484375, "zoom": 5}, "media": {"caption": "Envelope, 1881. Jane Everett letters, Newberry Library", "credit": "", "url": "//uploads.knightlab.com/storymapjs/bc2171fd2dc65da8b99c6c013d2dc670/thanksgiving/_images/Holyoke_Seminary_classmates_letter_to_Jane_Jennie_Everett_1879_1881.jpg"}, "text": {"headline": "It did not pay, 1870", "text": "Dear Jennie,

...How did you spend your \"Thanksgiving\"? Shall I tell you how we did? Ruth's school was out for the day, and as I was not at the Office, only from ten untill two, Maria said she was going to have a nice dinner and so went to work and got it, But about noon Ma was not feeling quite as well (and you know that Annie takes all her meals in her room) we felt very lonesome and when we sat down to dinner no one had any apetite and in a minute or so she left the table without eating any thing, and Rida declared she would never cook another Holiday dinner, for that it did not pay... I hope you had a more plesant time.

I remain yours,

Fannie L. Ellis

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"}}, {"date": "", "location": {"lat": 65.80277639340238, "line": true, "lon": 84.4189453125, "zoom": 5}, "media": {"caption": "Letter, 1880. Edward Williams Everett letters, Newberry Library", "credit": "", "url": "//uploads.knightlab.com/storymapjs/bc2171fd2dc65da8b99c6c013d2dc670/thanksgiving/_images/aunt-sarah.jpg"}, "text": {"headline": "I can skate nicely, 1880", "text": "Dear Aunt Sarah,

We have just two hens now and we are going to have one for thanksgiving day. I am a going to study grammar in a little while. I can skate on the walks nicely. Emma Johnson was here yesterday and stayed half an hour. Papa has been two times over the river with a cutter, the snow is about 8 inches deep here. I am earning 2 Dollars of Papa by brushing my teeth and not picking my teeth with a pin. I guess I will close with love to all.

Jay Carroll Everett

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"}}, {"date": "", "text": {"headline": "Confound it, 1892", "text": "Dear Baby,

To-day is Thanksgiving and we are going to have a turkey together with Mrs. Powells. Mr. (confound this pen!) Mr. Vultier will roast it for us, so I think it will be good. Poor little boy! Aren't you going to have any Thanksgiving?

10,000 kisses,
Anna

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A little daughter was born here Thursday evening - a Thankgiving baby... Helen is apparently doing first-rate, Baby is perfect and strong, and weighs 8 pounds. It has a pretty round head and face, It has some hair, more than our other children had. Edward is very greatly pleased with his little sister, as the other children are. Edward points to himself when we ask him whose baby it is. He evidently feels he has property rights in her...

With much love, your nephew,
J.E. Everett

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"}}, {"date": "", "text": {"headline": "An awful mad house, 1920", "text": "Dear Mary,

Lord what an awful mad house the world is. And it is Thanksgiving day and all the damn fools in a fool world are giving thanks that they are alive. Well I am not. Sunday I am to debate with Starr on the question \"Is civilization a failure?\" It ought to be easy to show, how any one can think any thing else I can't conceive. I don't know why I do these things....

Your friend always,
Clarence

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Sorry, cant make it Thanksgiving. I decided to go to Montreal and the Hemispheric Peace Conference & make my voice heard to stop the war. Maybe if the war is stopped we can get other things together....

Thanx,
Margaret

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Thanksgiving in Letters, 1849-1968