Stations of the Flag: Betsy Ross

 Stations of the Flag

Betsy Ross

In March of 1870 William Canby  read a paper to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, "The History of the Flag of the United States," the first presentation of "the well sustained tradition in the family of Elizabeth Claypoole (the Elizabeth Ross) [Canby's grandmother] this lady is the one to whom belongs the honor of having made with her own hands the first flag."  By the the 1876 Centennial, that "tradition" became a permanent part of America's flag lore. Canby's story has not otherwise been confirmed, but it is documented that Betsy Ross did make some ships flags.

 The flag with a circle of 13 stars is popularly called the Betsy Ross flag.  The original flag declaration did not specify the stars' pattern or the stars' shape.  Documented is the 3:2:3:2:3 pattern in 1777.

Some early flags had six pointed stars and other variations.  Part of the Betsy Ross flag tradition is that she suggested the five pointed star as it could be cut with one snip from an artfully folded cloth, as many of us learned making Betsy Ross paper stars in grade school.

 

 

In my post card flag collection are several Betsy Ross themed cards.The Betsy Ross house at 239 Arch Sst in Philadelphia has become a flag shrine.