Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1898-07-21


flag at the battle Of Lexington, but it is
generally agreed that it had none at
Bunker Hill.
A common device of that period was
flag with rattlesnake displayed ON it
and bearing the motto, Don't Tread
on Me. The origin of this device is
explained in this manner: England used
to transport many of her conviets to this
country. After several murders had been
committed by these undesirable immi-
grants writer III Benjamin Franklin S
newspaper suggested satirically that the
colonies retaliate by sendinga a cargo Of
rattlesnakes to England and turning
them loose in noblemen s gardens. Aft
er the snake had made its appearance
on the flags Franklin defended the de-
vice on the ground that the rattler is
only found i'll America, that it was con
sidered by the ancients a symbol of wis
dom, that its bright, lidless eyes sig
nified vigilance and that it never at.
tackled without giving warming
One of those original rattlesnake
flags, the Westlnoreland county (Pa. }
Revolutionary flag, isnow in the posses
sion of Mrs. Margaret 9. Craig of New
Alexandria, that state. She is now in
her ninety fifth year and has the double
distinction of being one of about 100
real daughters of the Revolutionary war
now living and also of being the only
one in western Pennsylvania. Her ia
ther, General Alexander Craig, who
was born in 1856 and died in 1922,
served during the war under Colonel
John Proctor. The fact of his being the
surviving Junior officer WAS the reason
that the flag above mentioned was COM
mitted to his charge, and at his death
he devised it as a sacred legacy to his
daughter
The flag is remarkably we'll preserved
considering its age and i'll character
generally agrees with the description of
the flag presented to congress by Clad
sen in 1776 There is this difference,
however between them-the Westmore-
land county flag has red ground, while
that of Gadsen was yellow, but the
representation of the rattlesnake and
the motto was similar i'll both.
Mrs. Craig, who is a hale and hearty
old lady and still i'll possession of all
her faculties, lives i'll the brick farm
house erected by her father 100 years
ago. She was born i'll this house and
has resided there during the entire pc
riod of her long life. Her daughter and
her granddaughter were also born there
and are living with her now, and both
are bestowing the tendcrest possible
care upon her. They all bear the honor
ed family name, which they never
changed. When Mrs. Craig was mar
ried, her father wished her to retain her
own name, which she was permitted to
do legally by an act of the legislature.
When her daughter arrived at a mar
riageable age, she married cousin,
also named Craig, and when her daugh-
ter reached the age of womanhood she
either did not desire to marry OF there
were no more Craig cousins, SO she still
bears the family name, of which the
father and all Of them were so proud.
Recently Mrs. Margaret G. Craig was
accepted by the national society, Daugh-
ters of American Revolution, at Wash
ington as real daughter" of the Rev
olution on account of the services rem
dcred by her father. 1t rs the custom of
the national society to forward souve-
mir speon to newly accepted members,
and the Phoebe Bayard chapter of the D.
A. r. at Greensboro, Westmoreland
county, was delegated to perform this
service i'll the case of Mrs. Craig.
The committee made the presentation
on the front stoop of the old farmhouse
as the evening sun was nearing the ho-
rizon. Aunt Peggy, as Mrs. Craig is
familiarly known in her home neigh
borhood, responded to the presentation
address i'll voice choking with emo
ton, but with use Of language that
proved her clearness of intellect and her
culture and refinement. She gave her
interested visitors many "reminiscences
of the early, stirring period of our coun-
rry's history, and when they finally
parted with her it was with sincere re-
gret HELEN BAILEY BRIGGS