With little evidence for or against the story, the patriotic tale of the hardworking seamstress keeping her family business going in difficult times and supporting the war effort still warms American hearts. While we may never know if she actually made the first flag of the United States , we do know some important facts about Betsy Ross that may give us an insight into the role of women in Revolutionary America.
All rights reserved. The legendary Betsy Ross flag. The Legend of Betsy Ross The legend goes that George Washington , along with George Ross and Robert Morris, members of a committee established by the Continental Congress , visited Betsy Ross' house in Philadelphia in with a sketch of the flag that they wanted made. The Real Betsy Ross Even if she was not the seamstress responsible for the most famous of American cloth, Betsy Ross is a historical figure in her own right.
Elizabeth "Betsy" Griscom was born on January 1, , and lived in Philadelphia for most of her life. She was the eighth of 17 children and was raised by her mother and father. Ross was raised as a Quaker by her parents and continued observing the faith throughout her life. She began sewing as a child; her great aunt Sarah Griscom taught her.
Betsy later apprenticed for an upholsterer named William Webster. During this apprenticeship, she met her future husband John Ross. John Ross was not a Quaker, which meant that Betsy was forced to elope in order to marry, since she was considered to be moving outside of her church. They ran away to New Jersey to marry. Betsy was 21 years old at the time. John Ross, an upholsterer by trade, died in At some point after the turn of the 19th century, John developed a physical disability, possibly relating to earlier war injuries or a stroke.
He died in Betsy continued her upholstery and flag-making business with the help of her daughter Clarissa. According to her descendants, although her vision was failing rapidly, Betsy continued to take the long carriage ride to the Free Quaker Meetinghouse in the city every week.
By , Betsy was completely blind. With family present, Betsy Ross died peacefully in her sleep on January 30, She was 84 years old. Make a donation to support Betsy Ross House exhibitions and educational programs. From interactive Storytelling tours and Philadelphia-themed mini golf to performances by historic reenactors, it's all listed right here!
Details ». Historic Philadelphia Search:. Betsy Ross was born as Elizabeth Griscom on January 1, She was the eighth of seventeen children, but only about nine survived childhood.
Her father Samuel Griscom owned an old farmhouse and was a successful carpenter in New Jersey. Ross and her family were members of the Quaker religion and she attended a traditional Quaker school in Pennsylvania. Upon finishing her schooling, Ross became an apprentice for the popular upholsterer, John Webster.
Ross learned how to make and repair many items, including curtains, tablecloths, bedcovers, and rugs. She became a very skilled seamstress and upholsterer. While working for Webster, she fell in love with another apprentice named John Ross. Her decision to marry John Ross caused her to split from her family and the Quaker religion when she was only years-old. Betsy and John Ross started their own upholstery business in Philadelphia and became members of Christ Church.
Their business was successful, and it is reported that they even made bed hangings for George Washington in John Ross was also a member of the Pennsylvania militia. After three years of marriage, John Ross passed away.
At years-old, Betsy Ross became a widow. She continued to run the upholstery business and worked on uniforms, tents, and flags for the Continental Army. Washington and the two other members of the Continental Congress brought a rough sketch of a flag with thirteen red and white stripes and thirteen six-pointed stars.
Ross suggested that the six-pointed stars be changed to five-pointed stars because they were easier to make. The men agreed to change the design. Ross is said to have made the first American flag shortly after that meeting.
Ross continued working as a seamstress and upholsterer for many years. She married her second husband, Joseph Ashburn on June 15,
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