Betsy ross
Betsy rossBetsy Ross, A Legendary Woman
Elizabeth Griscom was born on New Years day 1752. Known as Betsy to family and friends, she was the eighth of seventeen children born to Rebecca and Samuel Griscom. They lived in Philadelphia. Being staunch Quakers, they were very conservative. Betsy was entirely educated at a friend's Quaker school. It was in this Quaker school that she learned how to upholster. With her parents permission Betsy became an apprentice in the upholstery shop of John Ross.
Betsy soon fell in love with John Ross and they eloped on November 4th 1773 in Gloucester, New Jersey. Betsy and John ran the upholstery shop together for three years. In 1775 John joined the militia. While serving the Militia he was killed when a store filled with gunpowder blew up. John was very badly burned. Betsy treated him the best way she knew how, but despite her efforts he died in the middle of January. Against her parents will, Betsy continued to run the upholstery shop.
Six months later, in June of 1776, with her husbands death behind her she was approached by George Washington, Robert Morris, and her uncle George Ross. They wanted to discuss the possibility of her sewing the first American flag. The meeting was held in the back room of her home, and was kept very secret. During the course of the meeting George Washington presented Betsy with his idea for the flag. George Washington's idea included a six-pointed star (1. Encyclopedia Britanica). Betsy saw the need for a few changes in the idea including changing the six-pointed star to a five-pointed star. Washington disagreed because he thought the five-pointed star would be more difficult to sew. Betsy quickly changed his mind by making a few simple folds in a piece of scrap cloth, and one snip to unfold a five-pointed star (2. Spencer). Betsy also wanted the flag to be a rectangle instead of a square. Betsy went to work on the flag. It was presented to and accepted by Congress on June 14, 1777. Just one short day before she was to marry her second husband.
A short time before she met her soon-to-be second husband, Joseph Ashburn, the first mate of the Brigantine Patty and was wed to him on June 15, 1777 (3. Compton's Encyclopedia). Joseph and Betsy had two children. Their children were both girls, the oldest Zillah who died in her youth and the younger Elizabeth.
Joseph's ship...
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