Betsy Ross and the Birth of Old Glory: The True Story of the First American Flag
The Enduring Legacy of the Colonial Flag
Betsy Ross is credited with sewing the first American flag and Chris’s new 1 oz. silver bar, “Colonial Flag”, memorializes her 13-star flag.
Each star represents one of the original 13 colonies, as do the 13 red and white stripes.
Betsy was born in 1752 into a Quaker family near Philadelphia. Her name was Elizabeth Griscom. In 1773, 21-year-old Betsy, as she was called, eloped with John Ross. He was the son of the assistant rector, Aeneas Ross, of the Episcopal Christ Church in Philadelphia.
2025 "Colonial Flag" Silver Proof Bar, by Chris Duane
As a result of her interdenominational marriage, Betsy was “read out” of her Quaker community. She was rejected emotionally and financially by her family and her community. The young couple opened an upholstery shop in Philadelphia in 1775. Betsy also began to attend Christ Church services, where George Washington would sometimes sit in an adjacent pew. This acquaintance would prove important to our flag’s creation.
Betsy’s husband, John, joined the Pennsylvania Militia during the American Revolutionary War and was guarding an ammunition depot when he was severely injured during an explosion. Although she tried to nurse him back to health, he died in 1776. She continued to operate their upholstery business alone. And, according to her family, her acquaintance with Gen. Washington and her connection with George Ross, who was her deceased husband's uncle, led to a 1776 meeting with a secret committee that was sent by the Continental Congress to request that she sew the first flag.
The committee was not only composed of George Washington and George Ross, but also included Robert Morris. All three men are considered Founding Fathers of the United States. Ross and Morris both signed the Declaration of Independence, while George Washington was unable to be present at the signing as he was in New York serving as Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army.
We all know who George Washington was, but few remember the other two men on the flag committee. George Ross was a lawyer, politician, and member of the Pennsylvania militia. Robert Morris was a shipping magnate, a vast landowner, the chief financier of the Continental Army, and a Pennsylvania State Senator. All three men felt very strongly that the Union needed a flag, and once designed and produced, it was called the Grand Union Flag.
Many give credit to George Washington for providing Betsy with the original rough design.
And, it appears that the only dispute occurred when Washington proposed 6-point stars, but Betsy prevailed, as she preferred 5-point stars. Just as the 13 stars represent the 13 original colonies, so do the 13 red and white stripes. In addition, the red stripes symbolize bravery and valor, while the white stripes represent purity and innocence. The Betsy Ross flag was adopted by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777.
This week, the United States of America will celebrate the 249th anniversary of its independence from England when the Founding Fathers signed the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia on July 4th, 1776. And, during this momentous celebration, millions of Americans will be flying this beloved symbol of liberty, all across this amazing country. And there is a lot to remember about those fateful years when the outcome of the American Revolution was not assured.
The American colonists fought a valiant and historic war against England, which had the largest war machine on earth at the time. By 1775, the British Empire had expanded its territory to include nearly 12% of the landmass of the world and 22% of the landmass in North America. They had the largest Navy in the world as well. It included 250 ocean-going vessels with nearly 19,000 sailors. And yet America, which had just 3,500 sailors in its Navy and Marine Corps and 65 vessels, defeated England in a war that lasted eight years.
Betsy Ross’ beloved flag, which Chris’s 1 oz. silver bar, Colonial Flag, immortalizes, inspired the American underdogs to heights never dreamed possible. Her red, white, and blue flag went into battle, it hung from homes and businesses, it flew from the masts of the American Navy ships, and was marched proudly in military parades. It inspired American men to accomplish the impossible.
“Colonial Flag” Silver Bar from Silver Shield
When the American Revolution’s ground and naval war was over, more than 25,000 British warriors would be dead, and between 50,000 and 70,000 Americans would have died as well. Incredibly, only 6,800 Americans were killed in battle. Sadly, the remainder of those men died miserably, on abysmal British prison ships, from disease-related illnesses.
On October 19, 1781, in Yorktown, Virginia, British General Lord Charles Cornwallis surrendered his forces to American General George Washington and French General Comte de Rochambeau. But the formal surrender did not occur until the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783. John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and John Jay represented America at the treaty’s signing along with British politicians, and a friend of Benjamin Franklin, David Hartley, who represented the British. The misery was finally over, and America’s star was on the rise, as was her beautiful flag.
The American flag has been altered over the centuries to represent America’s continued expansion and her valiant efforts to keep the world safe from evil.
Today, Old Glory continues to be America’s greatest symbol of courage, freedom, self-government, and independence. It is loved, admired, respected, and revered, not only in America but throughout the world.
And we have Betsy Ross, a young female patriot from Philadelphia, to thank for creating the most illustrious and famous flag in the world.
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