The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1930-06-20

1lzsEzszsY kinson, who thus honored
the memory of her great-great-grand-
father, a man whose name is known
ito comparatively few Americans. Yet
Francis Hopkinson and Joseph Hop
kinson offer an example of famous
father-worthy son" scarcely paralleled
in all American history.
1t is eminently fitting that their
names should be recalled as Independ-
ence day approaches for they contrib
nted materially to the foundation of
our Republic and the establishment of
the national tradition.
Francis Hopkinson was born in
Philadelphia in 1897, the son of an
Englishman who served several years
as a judge of the admiralty and
member of the provincial council. Hop
kinson was the first scholar entered
at the University of Pennsylvania
(then the college of Philadelphia) and
was graduated with its first class. He
studied law and was admitted to the
bar in 1851. After serving as secretary
to conference between the provincial
authorities and the chiefs of several
Indian nations, and as librarian
and secretary of the Philadelphia IL
brary, he went to England in 1766 and
became an intimate friend Of Lord
North, Benjamin West and John Penn.
Upon his return to this country he
resumed his law practice, kept store
for awhile and became a member of
two societies which united in 1869
to become the famous American Phil
osophical society. In 1772 he was ap-
New Castle but was removed because
of his radical ideas. He next moved
to Bordentown, N. j., and was a men,
Der of the provincial council Of that
colony from 1774 to 1776. In the lat
ter year he was elected TO the Con-
tinental congress from New Jersey
and became one of Americas i'm
mortals when he signed the Declara-
ton of Independence.
Historians now seem to agree gen.
orally that the Betsy Ross legend Of
the origin of the flag can be accepted
only with reservations. She may have
made the first flag, so far as the actual
cutting and sewing Of it was con-
cerned, but she was not the designer"
The evidence as to who actually was
is at best incomplete, but such evid-
ence as exists points strongly to Fran.
els HOpkinson. 1t is known that he
was greatly interested in the heraldic
art, especially as it applied to seals,
flags and coins. 1t is known that in
June, 17T7, he was chairman of the
navy board, acting under the marine
committee of the Continental con.
gress, and that the famous flag reso-
luton" of June IA, 1777, establishing
the design of the national flag, was
presented to congress among the bust
ness of the marine committee.
But the strongest evidence is con-
tanned in the words of Hopkinson him
self which are on record. On May %,
1850, he wrote to the board of ad-
miralty saying, ut is with great pleas
ure that l understand my last Device
of Seal for the Board of Admiralty
has met with your Honours, Approba-
ton" This seal, which was adopted
May 4, 1850, had Is red and white
stripes. In later letter he asked for
compensation for his services, itemiz-
ing list of designs that he presum-
ably had prepared. Among these was
''the flag of the United States of Amer
lea" and ga great seal for the United
States Of America. with a reverse"
But even though it may not be posi-
BILE to establish his right to that dis.
tinction, he showed his versatility in
other ways which entitle him to re-
remembrance. AS early as 1874 Hop
kinson had won a name for himself
by publishing an allegory in which
he recounted the wrongs of the col
onies and this is said to have done
much to fan the spirit of revolution
In all who read it. Throughout the
Revolution he continued to use his
gifts as writer in series Of satires
directed at the British, which were
published in the newspapers of the day
and attracted widespread attention,