Betsy Ross

Who Was Betsy Ross?

Betsy Ross is widely recognized for her role in creating the first American flag. Born in 1752, she began her career as an upholsterer after completing an apprenticeship, where she honed her skills in textiles. In a significant personal choice, Ross separated from her family by marrying John Ross, a man outside of the Quaker faith, which led her to embrace a different path in life.

Together, Betsy and John Ross established their own upholstery business, contributing to the early fabric industry in America. Although there is a lack of substantial evidence to corroborate the popular legend, it is said that George Washington commissioned Ross to design and sew the first American flag, a narrative that has become an integral part of her legacy and the nation’s history.

Early Life

Betsy Ross, renowned for creating the first American flag, was born Elizabeth Griscom in Philadelphia on January 1, 1752. As a fourth-generation American, she was the great-granddaughter of a carpenter who immigrated from England to New Jersey in 1680. Betsy was the eighth of 17 children in her family. Like her sisters, she received an education at Quaker schools, where she learned sewing and various crafts prevalent in her time.

Upon completing her education, Ross was apprenticed to a local upholsterer by her father. It was during this apprenticeship that, at the age of 17, she met John Ross, an Anglican. The two quickly developed a romantic relationship; however, Betsy’s Quaker faith prohibited marriage outside her religion. Defying these restrictions, Betsy and John married in 1772, leading to their expulsion from both their families and the Friends meeting house in Philadelphia, which served as the local Quaker place of worship. Despite the challenges they faced, the couple successfully established their own upholstery business, benefiting from Betsy’s exceptional needlework skills.

Flag Maker and Marital Life

In 1776, at the outset of the American Revolution, John Ross tragically lost his life in a gunpowder explosion while serving on militia duty at the Philadelphia waterfront. Following his death, Betsy Ross acquired his property and continued their upholstery business, dedicating herself tirelessly to crafting flags for the state of Pennsylvania.

A year later, Ross remarried Joseph Ashburn, a sailor. Unfortunately, Ashburn also met an untimely demise; in 1781, the ship on which he was serving was captured by British forces, and he perished in prison the following year.

In 1783, Ross entered into her third and final marriage with John Claypoole, who had shared a prison cell with her late husband, Joseph. John Claypoole had the solemn task of delivering Joseph’s farewells to Betsy. He lived for an additional 34 years before passing away in 1817 following a prolonged illness.

Death and Legacy

Betsy Ross passed away on January 30, 1836, at the age of 84 in Philadelphia.

Nearly five decades later, her grandson publicly claimed that Ross had created the first American flag. According to his account, she crafted the flag in June 1776 after a visit from President George Washington, Robert Morris, and George Ross, who was her first husband’s uncle. This recollection was published in Harper’s Monthly in 1873; however, contemporary scholars largely view it as a myth. Nonetheless, it is well-documented that Ross was indeed a flag maker, with records indicating she was compensated in 1777 by the Pennsylvania State Navy Board for creating “ship’s colours, &c.”

The Betsy Ross House, believed to be the site where she made the flag, remains one of Philadelphia’s most frequented tourist attractions, although the authenticity of her residence there is also subject to debate. Despite the uncertainties surrounding her famed narrative, Ross exemplifies the resilience and tenacity of many women of her era. She navigated the challenges of widowhood, single motherhood, independent property management, and remarriage for economic stability. Her life and experiences are intricately woven into the fabric of American history.