First 4th of July celebration west of the Alleghenies

letter written by Col. William Price | 5 JUL 1794 | Col. William Price

[fulltlt]

                           Fayette county, Kentucky
                           July the 5th 1794
  To His Excellency
 Isaac Shelby,
Governor of Kentucky}
                       My Esteemed Friend, I was greatly
disappointed by your not coming to my house on
yesterday (the 4th of July)  We had a glorious time and
a big dinner.  Forty men sat down at my tables who had
served in the late struggle for American Independence.
It was a glorius sight to behold, and I wish King
George III and Lord North could have witnessed this
scene in the wilds of America.  On the return of this
glorious anniversary of our freedom from British despotism
the heart of every patriot in the late struggle may
rightfully pour forth its highest tribute to the great sages and
statesmen, and soldiers who resolved to stake their lives
and sacred on maintaining the Declaration of Independence.
Throughout the limits of our country from Massachusetts to
Georgia the hearts of a free and happy people have
been dedicated on yesterday to the contemplation of the
wonderful blessings achieved and bequeathed to us by
such heroic leaders as George Washington, Israel Putnam
and Nathaniel Greene.  Such brave leaders took their lives
in their hands and liberty or death was inscribed on
their hearts.  God in the plentitude of his beneficence has
generally provided men qualified to resist kings and tyrants
in their attacks on the rights of the people.  The history of our
mother country furnished full proof of this fact and our own
glorious country in the late war for independence is a more
brilliant illustration of the great truth that God
hates all tyrants and despotic rulers, and sooner
or later overthrows all such rascals in causing the
people to rise up and kill them.
                                   Truly yours,
P.S.--I will be at
Frankfort next Monday.        William Price

[fulltlt]

My 5th great grandfather was one of the 40 who attended. These men knew what liberty and freedom was.

[PastorBooks]

Good story! Do you have any more background on the event?

[fulltlt]

I do have a lot more background. I have written a book about my 5th great grandfather. There is a historical marker where the first celebration took place. I was at the dedication for it.

[morphing libertarian]

thank you

[PastorBooks]

Nice!

[laplata]

That’s great!

Yes, those men knew what it was all about. You must be very proud.

[brothers4thID]

Thank you for posting, but I recall a source discussing a celebration at Boonesboro during the war. I will see if I can dredge it up.