Just over 50 colonists are believed to have attended the first Thanksgiving, including 22 men, only 4 married women and more than 25 children and teenagers. My ancestor was 17-y/o Joseph Rogers. The third person from the Mayflower to settle at Nawset was Joseph Rogers, a young lad, son of Thomas Rogers who died the first winter at Plymouth leaving said Joseph here and five sons back in England who later came to this country The Church of England was the state church. The separatist Pilgrims rejected it. Intense belief and religious devotion got these austere, steely-strong Pilgrims through their harsh winters. God chooses the lowly and seeming fools of this world who have pure hearts. They knew the Truth. Obedience to God freed them. The chief end of man is to glorify God. The Pilgrims knew happiness and salvation came from obedience and thankfulness to God. Happy Thanksgiving.