European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 3, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Magazine my am mowing Oao Oja Wawn ton it Flat american off a Titorian ant to Sun of Are via. Betsy Ross did she or did t she by Charles e. De8evec United press International Uick who made tha first . Flag Betsy Ross right wrong. Well maybe. Historians Are divided on whether the Philadelphia upholsterer and seamstress helped design and sew the hag. William Kingsley director of the Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia of course supports the popular Sloy that Rosa a widow was approached by a delegation from the newly armed revolutionary government about sewing the first hag. As the Story goes the and hoc Commilles possibly including George Washington Robert Morris and George Ross. Betsy s Uncle by marriage had in mind six pointed stars because they would be easier to make. But Betsy loaded a piece of paper to show How quickly she could make a five pointed Star which eventually became the Standard Howard Madaus an assistant curator at the Milwaukee museum and a noted expert on . Flags said the Betsy Ross Story is a lot of bunk a myth started in the 1800s, spread by her grandson and perpetuated by the sensationalist press of the Lime she had nothing to do with the design. As far As i am concerned she had nothing to do with the five pointed Star which did not come into widespread use until the Boos said Madaus. Adding. There Are no surviving lags from the 18lh Century that have sewn on stars with live  he noted there Are surviving 18th-Century lags thai have sewn stars with six seven or eight Points Ano Here Are hags with painted five Point stars historians such As Madaus who discount the Betsy Ross Story put More credence in Iho Story of Francis Hopkinson. A member of the Continental Congress from new Jersey who submitted two Bills for the Flag design although he was never paid by the government. Hopkinson a satiric poet songwriter and Organ player also sub tilled designs for the great Seal and for various coins and currencies. A common theme for Hopkinson s designs was six pointed stars arranged in a Circle Madaus said. He submitted two Bills which were not accepted Lor political reasons Madaus said. They did not deny him his claims made in the Bills but he was no granted the  Kingsley said Hopkinson s own superiors rejected his claim. I tint claim was for halt a Keg of Public rum Kingsley said me withdrew that and submitted a second Bill in 1783. Long alter the lag had been in use. It was a Litlie  Kingsley also said the primary components of the Flag stripes and colors already were being used in various forms at the time of the revolution. Thai is not to denigrate Francis Hopkinson he was a great Man a Patriot Kingsley said. But ii is difficult to believe that he could have claimed to have designed the Flag " the Betsy Ross House is a major Louril attraction for Philadelphia drawing 500,000 people a year. It was owned for years by a Alwater Kent who had it restored and gave it la the City so years ago. While there were Many seamstresses in Philadelphia. Kingsley said Betsy Ross was a natural Choice Lor the Flag sewing because her Uncle was a member of the Continental Congress. 3 signer of the declaration of Independence and looked out Lor her Well being. Her husband John Ross was nil cd in january 1776 in a munitions explosion then m tale Mayer Early june George Ross aware Hal his Niece was a Good seamstress and award they the government wanted a Flag suggested she be the one to do  a Mcsloy said. On Juno 14,1777, the Continental Congress adopted the stars and sir docs As the National tag of the United states Kingsley said that while there is no official document Alion directly connecting Betsy to the lust Flag there is a surviving document showing she was paid for sewing ships colors Lor the Pennsylvania Navy in june 1777. "1 think today As Well As then ships motors can refer to Tho National Emblem Kingsley said. There also is an 1834 painting other that identifies her As Betsy Ross oven though she had been remarried twice by then and had stopped using thai name. Why have a portrait in 1834 when she had stopped using that name 16 years earlier when she was not known by that name Kingsley said. A second painting dated 1851, portrays her sewing the hag still almost two decades before the period when her grandson was known to to telling the Story Kinglsey said. So to can say Betsy Ross was known for making the lag in 1851 and for having done something significant in 1834,16 years after she slopped using the name he said. Tadaus finds Hal evidence less than compelling. Thoy make a big thing about Iho 1834 painting because she used the name Betsy Rosa Madaus said. Wet big Deal. So she decided she wanted to be called Betsy Ross at that time. That does t mean she chose that name because of the association Vilh the Flag. That s exceedingly  As for the 1b51 painting Madaus noted Betsy Ross could have bean shown sewing a lag because she was known to have been doing that work later and also the legends Wera already creeping in by the 1850s." Kingsley said operators of Iho Betsy Ross House claim Only Hal she came up with the idea of a five pointed Star and that she sewed in. We Are not claiming and to my knowledge there in t anyone claiming that she designed the  he said. She placed her stars in a Circle and others placed theirs in other kinds of designs. We did t set standards for our Flag until 1912." Kingsley said. We Don t know How Many she made whether in was a Sample Dag. We Don t know the size of it historians want the kind of proof that you can see and touch and admittedly this is circumstantial evidence he said. Bui i think in is compelling with the american Public it is compelling. We re  David Kimball a historian with the . Park service in Philadelphia treads a line Between the Ross and Hopkinson stories. He said Hopkinson had been a member of Congress Long enough to know they weren t going to pay him and that when he submitted the Bill he May have been interested Only in laying the ground for a record of his  on the other hand just because he submitted a Bill does not necessarily mean he designed the Flag Kimball said. Kimball said that while Washington makes no mention of Betsy Ross and the Flag in his diaries or surviving letters that does not Rule her out As maker of the lag. The problem with this kind of Story the belly Hoss Story is that it originates so Long alter the event that you tend to look at 11 Wim a Little suspicion he said. Bui that does l necessarily mean in in t True either. I think most serious historians believe that Hopkinson was responsible for the design of the Flag. Bui there Are a few historians and Lols of people who still favor Betsy Ross Kimball said. Regardless of her Rote in making the first us lag Kingsley said belly Ross has a place in american history. Take away the Story of the Flag and she still was an interesting woman. She was in business which was unusual Sha Mado Musket balls of the Continental army so she was a woman who supported the  Friday. July3, 1987 the stars Ano stripes Page 13