The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-07-04
THE FLAG OF OUR COUNTRY.

previous to the Union fiag-"the rec
flag of the army, and the white one o.
the floating batteries complemented
by the incorporation of 10 stars and /;
stripes. which seem naturally to have
suggested themselves as eInblemauC
insignia to all patriots of the time.
The only weight given to the theory
that the flag was taken in part from
the coat of arms Of Washington is con-
tanned in the records of the part he
played in arranging for the making OF
the first flag containing the stars and
etripes. In this connection it is gen.
orally accepted fact that Mrs. Elizabeth
Ross made this flag in Philadelphia in
house which is yet standing in Arch
| street. The convincing evidence to this
effect has been collected and published
| by her grandson. W. T. Candy. He as
serts that a committee of congress, ac-
companied by General Washington, in
June, 17T6, called upon Mrs. Ross, who
was an upholsterer, and engaged her
to make the flag from a rough draw
ms, which. at her suggestion, was re-
drawn by General Washington in pen
ell, in her back parlor." This is the flag
which was adopted by congressional
resolution a year later. and there seems
ground for Mr. Canbyss assertion that
the flag was in common use before this
action by congress was taken.
This emblem remained unchanged IN
Ill 1874. when it was decided by con-
-ress. because two more states had
been admitted to the Union, Vermont
and Kentucky, that the flag should
contain Is stripes and 10 s;srs. In this
action there was no provision, for flu
ture alterations, and no change was
made until 1878. although several new
states had been admitted before that
time. On April 4, 1918, a law was passed
| reducing the number of stripes to 13,
and making the number of stars agree
with the number of states, a new star
to be added on July of each year for
every new state admitted within the
year. This act embodied the sugres-
tions of Captain Samuel C. Reid. but
he advised also that it be stipulated
that the stars should be arranged in
the form of star This was NOT done
at the time, and at no time since has
any action been taken prescribing a
definite arrangement of the stars in the
flag. 1t remains the same today as
when adopted in 1915 with the excep-
ton of the growing size of the group
of stars in the blue field.
1t is quite probable that the real
truth of the making of the first flag of
this nation would have been lost to his
tory but for the efforts of Mrs. Ross
grandson, Mr.. Candy. He realized the
Importance of accurate knowledge on
the subject. and took active steps--to
ascertain JUST such details as would be
necessary to preserve the incident in
history.
IN 1871 there was some little news
paper comment on the subject of how
and when the flag was born. Several
authorities, when interviewed declared
that the whole matter was shrouded
in mystery, whereat Mr. Candy. whose
investigations certainly gave weight 70
his assertions. sent out a cemmunica-
ton on the subject which successfully
removed all mystery and all doubt He
wrote as follows:
1T is not tradition, it is report from
the lips of the principal participator in
the transaction, directly told. not to
one or two, but to a dozen or more
living witnesses, of whom 1 am one,
though but a little boy when 1 heard
it, l was II years old when Mrs. Ross
died in our house, and well remember
her telling the story. l have the mar
rative from the lips of the oldest of my
aunts. reduced to writing in 1857. This
aunt. Mrs. Clarissa Wilson, succeeded
to the business of making flags which
had been originally held exclusively by
Mrs. Ross. and she continued 10 make
! flags for the navy yard and arsenals,
and for the mercantile marine for many
years until, being conscientious on the
subject of war; she gave UP the gov
eminent business, but continued the
merca-ti,e business until 1851 Wash
ington was a frequent visitor at my
grandmother's house before receiving
command of the army. She enibroid-
cred his shirt ruffies and did many
other things for him. He knew her
skill with the needle. Colonel Ross,
with Robert Morris and General Wash
ington, called upon Mrs. Ross and told
her they were committee of congress
and wanted her 70 make the flag from
the drawing. a rough one, which, upon
her suggestion, was redrawn by Gen