Wait, Did Mother’s Day Really Start in Michigan?
Have you ever stopped to think about the origins of Mother's Day? Because I'll admit, I never have-- until now!
In preparation for this year's holiday, which falls on Sunday, May 14 just so you know, I happened to stumble across a factoid that claims Mother's Day originated in Michigan. Can that really be true?
Depending on where you look you may find several different answers as to where and when the first Mother's Day holiday was observed.
The official Mother's Day Wikipedia page says the holiday, in its most modern form, was first held by Anna Jarvis as a service of worship at Andrews Methodist Episcopal Church in Grafton, West Virginia, but where did Anna get her idea?
Mother's Day in Michigan
Despite what Wikipedia says other sources claim the first Mother's Day was observed in Albion, Michigan on May 13, 1877, the second Sunday of the month. But you'll never guess the reason why!
According to local lore two days prior three young men were found stumbling drunk around Albion and all three men just happened to be the sons of "staunch temperance advocates"-- one of whom was the son of the local reverend.
The Mother of Mother's Day
When Sunday's services came around Rev. Myron Daughterty was so distraught he had to leave the pulpit. That's when Albion woman Juliet Calhoun Blakeley stepped in.
According to Celebrate Love,
Mrs. Blakeley, sitting near the front, stepped to the pulpit to take over the remainder of the service and called other mothers to join her. Mrs. Blakeley's sons...were so moved by her gesture that they vowed to return to Albion every year to mark their mother's birthday anniversary and to pay tribute to her.
In addition to returning to Albion to visit their mother Mrs. Blakely's sons, who were both traveling salesmen, reportedly urged those they encountered on the road to honor their own mother's on the second Sunday of May.
Thus, Mother's Day was born! Today Juliet Calhoun Blakeley is known as "The Mother of Mother's Day" despite most credit going to Anna Jarvis. The holiday became officially recognized by Congress in 1914.
How will you celebrate your mother this year?