The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1876-07-06
ORIGIN OF THE AMERICAN FLAG.

Speculation has often been INDUCED in, about
| the origin-that is, from whence came the idea
| of the stars and stripes composing our national
| flag. Whoever has opportunity Of examining
the illustrated pedigree of the Washington fam
iy lately published by that accomplished artist,
L. W. Gwilt Mapleson, Esq, of New Haven, Con-
necticut, will be struck with the idea in
ment that the coat of arms of Washington fur
nished the flag of the country, which his gener-
alship made independent of the flag of st. George
and entitled to wear one of her own.
The pedigree of General Washington, traced
by Mr.. Gwilt Maples0n, carries back the de-
scent to William Hertburu, lord of the man or of
Washington, in the County of Durham, England.
From him descended John Washington, of White
field, in the time of Richard I'LL; and ninth in
descent from the said John, was George, the first
President of the United States. The mother of
John Washington, who emigrated to Virginia in
1857, and who was great grandmother to the
General, was Eleanor Hastings, grand daughter
to Francis second Earl of Huntington. She was
the descendant through Lady Huntington, of
Gorge Duke of Clarence, brother of King Edward
w., and King Richard ILL., by Isabel Nevil,
daughter and heiress of Richard Earl of War
wick, the king maker.
Washington, therefore, as well as all the de-
scendants of that marriage, are entitled to quar-
ter the arms of Hastings-Pope Earl of Salisbu-
~, Plantagenet, Scotland, Mortimer, Earl of
March, Nevil, Montague, Beauchamp, and Dew
ereaux.
The pedigree, v hich is full and accurate in re-
gard 10 dates gives as 10 were, an epltOme of the
family. 1t is surrounded by a border, ornament
ed by the shields of arms, implanted by different
ancestors in right of their wives, as well rs some
of the quarterings borne by their descendants.
The engraving in colOrs is in the very first
style, and perhaps the most highly finished work
ever done by st. Clair, of Philadelphia who is
acknowledged to be without a rival in his art.
The coat of arms of the first SOhn Washingto
was composed of three stars aud stripes, which
form part of all Heraldic bearings of the fami-
ly ever since.
George Washington was entitled to use his en-
sign upon flag in the army which he command
cd, and in all probability the first one made
in America composed of three stars and
three stripes which those who were versed in
heraldry would at once recognize the proper
cOlOTs of the COMMANDMENTS Chief of the RevOlu-
tionary army-the flag of Washington,
In time, ten other stars were added, and the
flag of Washington became the flag of the thir-
teen United States. Lol the figures are now
changed to thirty-eight-a more than tenfOld
multiplicity of the original number of stars, has
hidden the origin of the flag, and few are aware
as they uncover the head to honor the name of
Washington, and send up shout after shout as
the stars and stripes unfolded to the bree Ze,
that the flag they adore is the flag of the name
they would honOr-the stars and stripes of the
arms and standard of Washington.
Let MS send up one more shout of graduation,
that
Our flag is still there
and the name of its founder still here in our
hearts-in the hearts of all the people of the
United States, over whom, until the name is for
gotten, may no other flag ever wave, than the
stripes and stars of Washington.