Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1855-03-01
Origin of the American Flag.

about the origin-that is, from whence came
the idea Of the stars and strips composing
our national flag. Whoever has an oppor.
tunlty Of examining the illustrated pedigree
of the Washington family lately published
by that accomplished artist, T. w. Gsvilt
Mapleson, Esq. of New Haven, Connect.
cut, will be struck with the idea in a mo.
ment that the coat of arms of Washington
furnished the flrg of the country, which his
generalshp made independent of the FLAG
of St. George, and entitled 10 wear one oil
her own.
The pedigree of General Washington
traced and Illuminated by Mr.. Gwilt Map.
leson, carries back descent to William Her.
burn, lord Of the manor of Washington, in
the county ofDurham, England. From him
descended John Washington, Of Whitefeld
in the time of Richard III; and ninth in de-
scent from the said John, was George, the
first President of the United States. The
mother of John Washington, who cmigrated
to Virginia in 1867, and who was great
grandmother 10 the General, was Eleanor
Hastings, granddaughter to Francis, Sec
ond earl of Huntington. She was the des.
cendont, through Lady Huntington, OF George
Duke OF Clarence, brother of King Edward
w., and King Richard III, by Isabel Nevil,
daughter and heiress OF Richard, Earl Of
Warwick, the king-maler.
| Washington, therefore, as well as the de-
scendants OF that marriage, arc entitled 70
quarter the arms of Hastings-Pope, Earl
Of Salisbury, Pl.ntagenet, Scotland, Morti-
mer, Earl of March, Ncvil, Montagu Beau
champ, and Dcvereux.
The pedigree, which is full and accurate
in regard TO dates, gives, as it were. all epi-
tome Of the family. 1t is surrounded by a
border, ornamented by the shields Of arms,
implanted by different ancestors in right Of
their wives, as well as some of the quarter.
ings borne by their descendants.
The engraving in colors, is in the very
first style, and perhaps the most highly fin
ished work ever done by Sinclair, of Phila-
delphia, who is acknowledged to be with
out rival in his art.
The coat Of arms Of the first John Wash
ington, was composed of three stars and
stripes, which form part of all heraldic
bearings Of the family ever since.
George Washington was entitled to use
his ensign upon flag in tine army he COM
manded, and in all probability the first one
ever made in America was composed ofthree
stars and three stripes, which those who
were versed in heradry, would at once re-
cognize as the proper colors of the comman.
der-in-chief of the revolutionary army-the
flag of Washington!
In time, ten other stars were added, and
the flag of Washington became the flag Of
the thirteen United Colonies.
! While individuals still live who might
have seen the first standard unfurled. or
who helped to swell the shout that went up
to Heaven, when the thirteen stars were
first spread to the breeze over the thirteen
United States, 10! the figures are transposed
thirteen has changed to thirty y-one--a ten
fold multiplicity from the original number
of stars, has hidden the original flag, and few
are aware, as they uncover the head 10 hon
or the name of Washington, and send up
shout after shout as the stars and stripes
are unfoded to the breeze, that the flag they
adore, is the flag of the name they honor
the stars and stripes of the arms and stan-
dard Of Washington.
Let us send up one more shout Of eratu-
laton, that
"ou fagis (,hIl) therey'
and the name of its founder is still here in
our hearts-in the hearts of all the thirty
one United States, ever whom until the name
is forgotten, may no other flag ever wave
than the stars and stripes of Washington.