The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-06-14

which may antedate hers by nearly
The venerable emblem is believed
to be the one that waved atop the
Northampton County courthouse
when the Declaration of Independ-
ence was read here July 8, 1777, and
was carried in the War of 1872 by
an Easton infantry company.
The flag, which now is displayed
in the lobby of the Easton Public
Library, is exactly the reverse of
the present Stars and Stripes in
that it has the stripe sin the upper
left-hand corner and II stars en-
circling a single star in the blue
field.
The emblem has been in the pos
session of the EaSton Public Library
since 1921. According to Henry F..
Marx, former librarian who wrote
a brief history of the Easton flag,
it was lost to view from around
1778 until September 6, 1914. At that
time it was presented to Capt. Abra-
ham Horns company when it left
for service in the War of 1872.
Cites Two Reasons
Horns company retained possess
sion of the flag until 1916, when
the Easton Union Guards was form
ed and it was handed down to the
new organization.
In his history, Marx cites two rea-
sons why he believes this flag is the
original that was displayed here
July 8, TIT:
Il. The stars in the blue field
consist of II white, eight-point stars
encricling a central star. The
eight-point star preceded the five
point star of Betsy Ross and was
not in use in 1914.
20. The design does not conform
to that prescribed by Congress: Is
white stars on a blue background
representing each State in the Union
and Is stripes alternately red and
white in the fly"
(The original Congressional res
olution which designated the Stars
and Stripes as the official flag, 10
stripes and Is stars, stated that
star and stripe should be added
for each State as it entered the
Union. In 1895, Kentucky and Ver-
mont came into the Union and two
stars and two stripes were added
No more States entered the Union
until 1916, SO this would bear out
Marks contention that the EaSton
flag does not conform with the Of
ficial flag of that time since it had
only IS stripes and 10 stars.
Used Again In 1914
Marx adds that the women of
Easton equipped the volunteer COM
panies with uniforms in the space
of three days between their volun-
teering and marching away to war
in 1914. They scarcely had time to
design an original flag. he contends.
They were thoroughly familiar
with the U. S. flag; why then fash
ion a flag for one company and not
for another? The truth is, time
was lacking to make the flags SO
they reSurrected the old one that
had Haunted defiance to the British
King in 1776 and sent it out on the
same mission in 1914. The EaSton
flag belongs to the Revolutionary
period. 1t would be an anachro-
nism in 1914"
The Northampton County Histo-
rical and Genealogical Society has
tried to get proper recognition Off
the Easton flag but so far its efforts
have proven futile.
In 1926 it was placed under plate
glass, framed and taken to Phil
adelphia for display at the sesqui-
centennial of the Declaration of In
Since that time it has
been no display at the public library
here.
1t has been officially adopted as
the Easton flag and today the Wis
itor to this city can see hundreds
of them fluttering on the streets on
holidays or other important occa-
siQns.