Connecticut western news. [volume] (Salisbury, Litchfield Co., Conn.) 1871-1970, 1908-07-02

FLAG DAY
Essay Written by Pupil of Canaan
High School.

Essay written Df FupH OF Sdnaan
High School.
To-day, June 10th, by proclamation
issued by the Governor of Connecticut is
Flag Day. Yesterday was the 1S1 ami
versary of our flag. Columbus planted
the Spanish flag on our shore in 1892
In 1897 Cabot planted st. Georges
Flag, on our shore. The first flag was
made by Betsey Ross. Probably You
would be interested to know something
of her. She was born January l, 1862.
She was the daughter of Samuel and
Rebecca Griscom, members of the 80
ciety of Friends" Her father was a
noted builder and assisted in the cree
ton of the state house, now Independ-
ence Hall. Betsey, as she was fondly
called, was the sixth daughter. Her
birthday was Sunday. 1t was frequently
said in the family that "she was born
the first day of the month, the first day
of the year, the first day of the ''new
style" She was fond of embroidery
and was an expert with her needle. She
married her favored admirer John Ross
December 1878. When asked by Gen.
eral Washington if she could make Il
flag, she replied, II do not know, but
will try" Her finished flag was APP
proved by the committee and she was
soon ordered to procure all the bunting
available and make flags for the use of
Congress, She died January 30, 1886.
One hundred fifty seven years passed by
from the time the Pilgrims landed in
1921 to 1777 and England's flag was our
flag. The thirteen stripes represent the
thirteen colonies. England called them
the Thirteen rebellious stripes" The
stars and stripes were adopted i'll l777
The first salute by foreign country
was given our flag at French port by "a
foreign naval vessel on February H.,
ITS. !. On September 30. 1887 our flag
started to make its first trips around the
world, and was three years in girding
the globe.
We should all know what the red
white and blue means, that which con-
stitutes our flag. White means purity
aud innocence, red means defiance, and
blue means valor Each star represents
a state; there are at the present time
forty-five stars. The flag expresses four
ideas viz, freedom, liberty, American
ism and God. Our flag is sometimes
called "Old Glory" probably you
wonder when and where this term was
first applied.
Stephen Driver. sea captain before
the Civil War had sailed from Salem,
Mass. to foreign lands. Once when in
a foreign port, for services rendered the
people. he received from them "A beauti-
full American flag. A priest blessed it
as it rose TO the masthead of his ships,
and the captain made solemn promise
to defend it. When the war began, to
secrete the flag he sewed it in quilt,
and every night slept beneath it. He
named it "Old Glory" Many times
confederate soldiers searched the house
to find it, bat in vain.
81 shall yet raise it above the State
House." he said. They threatened HIM
with death. When the troops under
Buell. entered Nashville, Feb. 1862,
''Old Glory" was floating in the breeze
on the roof of the State House. We
might ask what suggested stars and
stripes? 1t has seemed to me, from
careful study of the subject, that to no
one thing, but to blending of several,
especially of several flags, are we in
debted for the design of our own.
The very name Our Flag, brings
with it glow of pleasure. 1t is flag
of much history and one to be honored
by all. 1t may be said that the Ameri-
can flag floats peacefully from the
Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic, and from
Maine to the gulf.
Margaret M. O'Hara.