1877 Headlines: Albion Minister’s Son Forced To Spend Drunken Night At Saloon
A woman came to the rescue during church on Sunday after the minister became too distraught to finish his sermon. Rev. Myron Daughtery had a family situation going on. It turns out his son had been forced to spend the night in a saloon and drink, and drink more, and drink more. He was said to be released from the saloon and into the streets intoxicated the next day.
It turns out he was among three boys who were captured by "saloonists" who were opposed to a growing prohibition movement. All three were said to be sons of prominent leaders against alcohol consumption, known as the temperance movement. This is why the boys were targeted.
That particular church service took place on May 13th, 1877, the second Sunday of the month. It gave Juliet Calhoun Blakely an opportunity to step up to the pulpit and not only finish the sermon, but urge those in the congregation to support the temperance movement, citing what had happened to the boys. Her two sons, who were traveling salesmen, said they were proud of what their mother did and began encouraging others to pay tribute to their mothers. But there's an even bigger story that stemmed from these events.
According to AlbionMich.net, and many residents in the southern Michigan community, Blakely is considered the "original Mother of Mother's Day". In the 1880s, Albion’s Methodist Church began celebrating Mother’s Day on second Sunday on May, which was Blakely’s birthday. This was years ahead of the Act of Congress passed in 1914 and presidential proclamation that created a national celebration of Mother’s Day on the second Sunday in May