(Written
by Sheila Gail Landgraf)
June
14, 2016 is Flag Day. So what does that mean to us?
Do
we Americans really know anything at all about the history of our flag?
You
know, we didn’t always have “Old Glory.”
In 1775 American ships in New England waters flew a flag with a green
Pine Tree on a white background with an inscription that read “An Appeal To
Heaven.”
The
Continental Navy had a red and white striped flag with a snake in the middle
that said “Don’t tread on me.”
There
were many other flags being flaunted by many different groups. The Sons of Liberty flew a red and white
striped flag. The New England flag could
be seen in certain area of the country, and it displayed a green pine tree in
the upper left corner (this area of the flag is called the canton) with red
white and blue stripes. The Forster flag
displayed six small white stripes for a canton on a solid red background.
In
January of 1776 the grand union flag in Continental colors was displayed on
Prospect Hill. The British Union Jack
was in the canton and there were 13 alternate red and white stripes. It is said that George Washington, himself,
replaced this flag with the one commissioned to Besty Ross at a later
date. Prospect Hill, dominated the road
from Charlestown and had great strategic importance in the Revolutionary
War. This place was known as the
"Citadel" The castle there,
dedicated in 1903, is a monument commemorating the fortifications on top of
this hill. A tablet inside reads: "This tablet is erected in memory of the
soldiers of the Revolution and of the Civil War who encamped on Prospect Hill
and of the banners under which they valiantly fought."
Too
many flags were being flown by the American colonies. It was confusing and dividing. There needed to be one flag that everyone
could rally around which represented the hearts and souls of the people now
living in America. By this time four generations of families had grown up in
the new country.
Betsy
Ross was born in 1752 in Philadelphia.
Her maiden name was Elizabeth Griscom.
She was the great granddaughter of a carpenter who had arrived in New
Jersey from England in 1680. Betsy, as
she later came to be called, was one of 17 children born to her Quaker
parents. She attended Quaker school with
her sisters and became a very good seamstress.
When she turned 17 her father apprenticed her out to become an
upholsterer. It was while she was in
school that she fell in love with another apprentice named John Ross. He was NOT a Quaker and her parents and
religion forbid her to marry him. She
defied them in 1772 choosing to give up her family and religious belief in
John’s favor. It was quite the scandal
in Philadelphia. The Quakers as well as
her immediate family completely cut all ties to her.
John
and Betsy, working completely alone with no outside help from those who were shunning
them, opened up an upholstery shop that became famous in the area. The thing that set them apart was Betsy’s
marvelous skills as a seamstress. It
was during this time that the State of Pennsylvania commissioned Betsy and John
to make the flags for their naval ships.
Betsy designed what is now known as The American Flag.
In
1776 at the start of the American Revolution, John Ross was killed in a
gunpowder explosion. Betsy acquired his
property and kept up the upholstery business.
She worked day and night to fill the demands of the shop for orders of
flags for Pennsylvania. After a year of being a widow, Betsy remarried. Her new husband named Joseph Ashburn was a
sailor. In 1781 the ship he was on was
captured by the British and he died in prison soon after. Once again Betsy was a widow.
In
1783 Betsy was remarried to a man named John Claypoole. John had been a friend of Joseph’s and they
were in prison together when Joseph died.
John, having escaped, delivered the news of Joseph’s death and his last
endearing words to Betsy and that is how the two became acquainted. John had spoken with Joseph when he was
dying. His last words were of his love
for Betsy. Joseph asked him to deliver
his final words to Betsy as a personal favor from a friend. Betsy had a long and happy marriage to John
Claypoole. It lasted for 34 years.
In
1817 after a long time of disability, John died, leaving Betsy a widow for the
third time. Finally, at the age of 84 Betsy Ross died too,leaving behind more
than the simple legacy of a seamstress. 50
years after her death her grandson shared the story of how she sewed the first
American flag:.
As
the story goes, while Betsy was married to John Ross they were visited by
President George Washington. His visit
seemed to have inspired Betsy's thinking in the sewing of the flag in June of
1776. Harper’s Monthly picked up on
Betsy’s grandson’s speech about his grandmother’s life and published the story
in 1873. Everyone across the country of
America at that time loved and read Harper's Monthly. That is how Betsy Ross became famous for
making the first American flag, many long years after her death.
Due
to the fact that this story is a legend without proper documentation, many
nay-sayers have tried to discredit the life work of this brave and courageous
woman named Betsy Ross by denying that the story is true. Even if she had not sewn the flag, Betsy
Ross's legacy would stand as a prime example of what American women have
endured throughout our nation’s history.
She stands for the decency of faithful marriage between a man and a
women. She stands for brave widows in
the country that have used their skills and talents to raise and care for their
children in extraordinary, unique and exemplary ways. She stands for personal integrity and self
education in every aspect of daily life.
She stands for hard work in the midst of constantly changing
circumstances. Let the nay-sayers be
silent about Mrs. Ross and give her the national identity she deserves for the
symbol of her life’s work! She has made
us proud!
The
National Historic Park in Philadelphia summed up the contribution of our flag being
sewn by Betsy Ross in this way: “Betsy
Ross sewed the first American flag. When we view the flag, we think of liberty,
freedom, pride, and Betsy Ross. The American flag flies on the moon; sits atop
Mount Everest, is hurling out in space. The flag is how America signs her
name. It is no surprise that Betsy Ross has become one of the most cherished
figures of American History.”
I
can think of no greater way to describe the life of Betsy Ross and the contribution
she made to America by giving us that beautiful flag we now call Old Glory. We who are truly Americans at heart still
display this flag in our homes and across the land.
God
bless America. May she return to being
faithful to The God who made her great; and may she return to the honor and
glory that has long been represented by this flag that proclaims the liberty
and freedom of one nation under God.
