In 1908, when General Motors began and Henry Ford produced his first Model T, Seelye and Susie Sherwood held their first Thanksgiving dinner at East Street in the Village of Oxford.
This Thanksgiving the Sherwoods? descendants will continue that tradition for the 100th time at Goodrich United Methodist Church.
Seelye and Susie, who was born in Oxford, are buried in the township cemetery.
Both Bartlet Taylor (the husband of event organizer Emma Taylor) and his twin sister Bertha are the great-grandchildren of the Sherwoods.
Emma Taylor estimates about 177 direct descendants of the Sherwood will be attending, with three different generations represented.
‘The family’s so spread out now, it’s hard for us all to get together for Thanksgiving anymore,? said Taylor. Indeed it is, with family traveling from inside Michigan, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Massachusetts, Texas, Colorado, Florida, North Carolina, California and Washington.
In other words, lots and lots of turkeys will be cooked. (The main meal staples of turkey, dressing and mashed potatoes are being catered while guests are also bringing specialty dishes like corn casserole, salads and desserts).
‘The family members are phenomenal cooks,? Taylor said.
Taylor said the meal will start around noon. There will be activities in the church gymnasium for the kids.
Among the Thanksgiving traditions to be continued will be watching the Detroit Lions on television.
A silent auction will be held and mementoes for everybody available.
There also will be time for the family to reminisce. And if Seelye Sherwood were alive today, he’d have plenty to reminisce about.
Taylor described her husband’s great-grandfather as a jovial man who once cast a fishing line into a large puddle along Oxford’s Washington Street to publicly make a point about the need for paved roads.
He caught a lot of attention, but no fish.