Betsy Ross

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

I have this date book in among all the pages where I am supposed to fill in the birth dates of loved ones are quotes by women and the birth dates of prominent women are added in on the correct days. As I was skimming through the pages I realized I did not know a good portion of the women whose names were listed. Now I know their birth dates but I want to know more. I should know more and so I am going to go in search of it and I will list the information I find here.

The first name is Betsy Ross she was born on 1/1/1752. I have actually been to her house or at least a house they think she might have lived in or one they think would have been like the one she lived in, if I remember right the Betsy Ross House isn't actually her house at all. She was the 8th child of Samuel Griscom and Rebecca James. She went to Quaker school. Her Father apprenticed her to a local upholsterer where she met another apprenticed named John Ross. Since she was a Quaker and he was an Episcopal their marriage was frowned upon and so they eloped across the river and were married in New Jersey. Oh, did I forget to mention she was born and lived in Philadelphia? Well, she was and did. She also went to the same church as George Washington.
After they were married John and Betsy started their own upholstery business. Soon after the Revolutionary War broke out and John joined the militia, he was mortally wounded and passed away despite Betsy's best efforts to nurse him back to health.
During the War she was approached by George Washington, Robert Morris, and George Ross to sew the first American Flag. Which she did to their liking.
She was married three times and had four children. Betsy died on January 30, 1836, at the age of 84. She has been buried in three different locations: Free Quaker burial ground at South 5th St. near Locust, Mt. Moriah Cemetery, and now on Arch Street in the courtyard adjacent to the Betsy Ross House.


I gathered this information from my personal experiences and knowledge as well as the Internet most notably this website.