LE ROY PENNYSAVER & NEWS - JULY 3, 2022 by Lynne Belluscio “The Fourth of July is celebrated in all the cities and populous towns of New England, as elsewhere in the United States by military parades, firing of cannon, display of colors, ringing of bells, patriotic orations, public dinners etc” - - Universal Traveler 1839. LeRoy’s first Fourth of July celebration was in 1831, and was not the rip roaring, flag waving, event that was described in the Universal Traveler. According to the Rochester Observer, the Fourth of July was celebrated for the first time in LeRoy in 1831: “We commemorated the independence of our great and growing Republic . . . at the time appointed, the children of the different Sabbath Schools in town met in the basement room of the Presbyterian house of worship . . .the exercises commenced after a piece of sacred music by an appropriate and introductory prayer by Elder Clay of the Baptist Church . . .” In 1831, July 4th was a Saturday, yet like many other early Fourth of July celebrations, the day was spent in church. There were no orations, or speeches - instead prayers and sermons were the order of the day. Interestingly, slaves in NewYork City were granted their freedom in 1827. The day did not end with fireworks. That would soon change. Communities would soon begin the day assembling the day with a parade or a procession. First a color guard, followed by a group of musicians, and thirteen young ladies, dressed in white, symbolic of the first thirteen states. Then, the orator of the day, and the minister, the mayor, and the “President of the Day.” There was often a float with the veterans of the Revolutionary War, followed by the local militia. The volunteer fire departments, followed, and at the very end were “the strangers and citizens.” They all would proceed through town, and gather at a shady glade, where the oration was given and patriotic songs were sung (note: there was no national anthem at that time. The “Star Spangled Banner wasn’t official until 1931. “My Country Tis of Thee” was written in 1831 by Samuel Francis Smith and was first sung in public at a children’s concert in Boston). My country, 'tis of thee, Sweet land of liberty, Of thee I sing; Land where my fathers died, Land of the pilgrims' pride, From ev'ry mountainside Let freedom ring! My native country, thee, Land of the noble free, Thy name I love; I love thy rocks and rills, Thy woods and templed hills; My heart with rapture thrills, Like that above. Let music swell the breeze, And ring from all the trees Sweet freedom's song; Let mortal tongues awake; Let all that breathe partake; Let rocks their silence break, The sound prolong. Our fathers' God to Thee, Author of liberty, To Thee we sing. Long may our land be bright, With freedom's holy light, Protect us by Thy might, Great God our King. LeRoy Celebrates the Fourth of July in 1831
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