Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-07-13

make q nag of different pattern by
men who were in arms against their
king. But in that quiet Quaker town,
during the years of her placid girlhood,
all was peace; and even when, In the
| latter part Of 1878, she married John
| Ross. the son of Rev. Aeneas Ross, an
Episcopal clergyman, the outlook to
the confident young people seemed a
cheerful one.
The young married couple at once
| took the house at No. 239 Arch street,
where they carried on the upholstery
business, in which form OF work there
was q constant demand made on Mrs.
Ross skill as needlewoman. They
appear to have been thrifty, contented
and cheerful, but their happiness was
destinedJ to be short lived. War was
brewing and hundreds OF American
patriots were sacrificing the comforts
of home for the .hardships of soldiers
life. Among the foremost of these was
young John Ross. One night, Whiie
guarding some military stores on one
of the Delaware river wharyes ne re-
ceived so serious an injury that he
died from the effects Of 1t, after long
and anxious nursing on the part OF ms
loving and devoted young WIFE, lie
was buried on the Christ Church
ground, 9TH and Arch streets, January
20, 1776. The Ross pew marked with a
national flag, is still preserved In the
historical old church.
Left a widow at the early age OF
twenty-four Mrs. Ross heroically deter
mined to maintain her Independence IL
possible by continuing the business her
young husband had established, and in
this attempt she was greatly aided by
receiving the government contract
for army and navy flags. Probably, as
previously suggested, her uncle, George
Ross, was instrumental in obtaining
this work for her; at any rate, she was
paid G14 Us. I'd. by Congress Tor
flags for the fleet on the Delaware
river" while she still wore her widows
cap. AS this payment was made fully
one month before the act of Congress
which established a national standard,
it is difficult, if not impossible, to de-
eide how these flags were patterned.
Probably they displayed state devices
and notices.
On the day after her flag was adopt
ed by act of Congress, and as IL in
celebration of that event, Elizabeth
Ross again became a wife. Her sec
ond husband was Capt. Joseph Ash
burn, to whom she was united i'm the
Old Swedish Church, Philadelphia,
June IS. 1777. Captain Ashburn COM
manded q company in a Pennsylvania
line regiment and Is said to have been
an ardent patriot and a capable officer.
He had the misfortune, however, to be
captured by the British before he had
gained any marked distinction In the
field, and he never again saw his young
wife or his native land. He died n
prisoner of war March 8, 1882. The old
mill prison, Plymouth, England, in
which Captain Ashburn was confined,
has since been made famous in more
than one romance of those troubled
times.
The news of Captain Ashburn's
death was brought to America by
John Claypole, who had been his fell
low prisoner at Plymouth. This was
after the surrender of Lord CORVALLIS
at Yorktown, when actual hoStliltles
between the two countries had ceased.
AS often happens in real life ana IN
Claypole fell in love with the.
widow of his dead friend. and on the
Sth of May 1888, he was married to her.
AS Elizabeth Claypole the fair maker
of the American flag passed twenty
four years Of quiet, contented married
life, her third husband dying on the 90
of August, 1917. Then followed lime
teen years of serene old age, during
which period the woman who had wit
messed the birth of the republic saw 1t
firmly established among the great
powers of the world. She died on the
Goth of January, 1886, at the advanced
age Of eighty-four years.