By Candy Wade

Some went to war with muskets. She went to war with a needle and thread.

Betsy Ross, a Quaker, was a rebel. Apprenticing in an upholsterer’s shop, she fell in love with another apprentice. Quakers did not marry outside their religion, but this did not stop Betsy from eloping with John Ross, a member of the Christ Church. Betsy was a rebel in the making. At age 24 she became a widow but continued to work in her and her late husband’s upholstery shop. This was a time of political unrest and things were heating up in Philadelphia.

During the summer of 1776 one of Betsy’s customers came to the shop with several other men to show her an idea for a flag with stars and stripes. Betsy didn’t like the 6-pointed star because they were more difficult to make. She demonstrated to her

See Full Page