The times., 1900-12-30
old GLORY'S INFANCY
Spreading Out of the Flag Made
by Betsy Ross.
A Change In the Original Design
Suggested by the Maker and Adopt
ed by the Congressional Commit
tee-HOw the Stars Were Altered
From Six to Five-COrnered Figures

The exact spot of the birth of the Amer
lean flag is. perhaps, known to compara-
lively few persons. II is the old house
situated at 2S9 Arch Street Philadelphia,
for 1t was there that Betsy Ross. in the
presence of General Washington, Robert
Morris, and Hon. George. Ross, unfolded
her design Of the Stars and Stripes which
was subsequently adopted by. Congress.
June IA, 1777, as the emblem of the ma
tion. The fact that no memorial exists of
the patriotic woman whose name Is so
indissolubly connected with the flag OF our
country has led to an organized movement
having for its object the purchase Of her
sometime residence, AMI the erection of a
national memorial in her honor. The man
sicn where Betsy Ross once lived is known
today as the Old Glory House. There was
held here December IA, 1900, the annual
meeting of the American Flag House and
Betsy Ross Memorial Association, the So
ciety having in charge the movement for
the purchase Of the premises by the Gov
ernment and the erection Of a memorial
to the memory of the woman who designed
tho national Stars and Stripes. The as
riod of about two years, and 1t has Sue
ceeded, as shown by tie secretary's re-
port read at the last meeting, in raising
sum of s1s,4SL34 toward the object in
view. This showing has been commented
upon as sufficiently remarkable consider
ing the fact that no one is allowed to con-
tribute more than 10 cents for a certificate
CT membership, and that these certificates
are sent tin club form. at the expense Of
the association. to any address in the
United States and Territories. By this
means, however, tie movement has been
made national in It's scope, and the out
look for the success of the undertaking Is,
at present. most promising
The storyNof the origin of the stars and
stripes in our national banner, and :he
attributing of this design to Mrs. Ross,
was first made public in the following
manner: Mr.. William J. Candy, in 1870,
read before the Historical Society of
PENNSYLVANIA paper on the American
Flag. in which he claimed that his ma
ternal grandmother. Mrs John Ross. bet
ter known under her maiden name CT
Betsy, was the maker and partial design
er OF the first flag combining the stars
and stripes. A committee of Congress, he
said. accompanied by General Washing
ton, in June. 1776. called upon Mrs. Ress,
who was an upholsterer, and engaged her
to make the flag from a rough drawing,
which. at her suggestion. was redrawn by
General Washington in pencil In her lack
parlor. The flag thus designed was adopt
ed by Congress. and was. according to Mr..
Candy. the first Star-Spangled banner
which ever foated on the breeze
Mrs. Ross received the employment of
flag making for the Government, and con-
tinued in 1t for many years. Three of
Mrs. Ross daughters were living when
Mr.. Candy wrote his paper, acd confirmed
his statements. founding their corrobor-
ative evidence on what their mother had
told them concerning the matter. A
niece. Miss Margaret Boggs, then living
at Germantown. aged ninety five, was also
cognizant OF the facts.
These were. substantially. the follow
ing: That Col. George Ross and General
Washington visited Mrs. Ross and asked
her to make the flag. That lady then
said: 81 don't know whether / can. hut
III try" and directly suggested to the
gentlemen that the design was wrong, the
stars being six-cornered and not five
eornered (pointedl. as they should lie.
The alteration was made. and other
changes made at the instigation OF Mrs.
Ross.
Mr. Candy, in private letter. written
soon after reading his paper, says: 1T
is not tradition. it is report from the lips
Of the principal participator in the trans
action, directly told. not to one or two.
but dozen or more living witnesses. of
whom | myself am one, though but a lit
tie boy when | heard It. | was eleven
years old when Mrs. Ross died in our
house, and well remember her telling The
story. My mother and two Of her sisters
are living, and in coed memory. | have
the narrative from the lips OF the old
est one OF my aunts. now deceased, re-
duced to writing in 1857. This aunt. Mrs.
Clarissa Wilson. succeeded to the busi-
ness, and continued making flags for the
navy yards and arsenals. and for the mer-
camille marine for many years. until,
being conscientious on the subject OF war
she gave up the Government business, but
continued the mercantile until 1857.
Washington was frequent visitor at my
grandmother's house before receiving
command of the army. She embroidered
his shirt rufies. and did many other
things for him. He knew her skill with
the needle. Colonel Ross. with Robert
Morris and General Washington called
upon Mrs. Ross. and told ker they were
committee of Congress. and wanted her
to make the flag from the drawing.
rough one. which. upon her suggestions,
was redrawn by General Washington in
pencil in her back narlor. This was
prior TO the Declaration OF Independence.
| fix the date to be during Washington's
visit to Congress from New York. In
June, 1875, when ne came TO confer
upon the affairs of the army. the fag
being, no doubt. one of these affairs"
His rather cold grey eyes had been ap-