Did Betsey Ross Design the Flag of the United States of America?: Publication of the Scottsville Literary Society

In Short

This monograph presents a critical examination of the popular claim that Betsey Ross designed and produced the first official flag of the United States. Originally delivered as an address to the Scottsville Literary Society, the work analyzes historical records, early flag histories, official legislative journals, and personal papers from the Revolutionary era. By comparing the absence of contemporary eighteenth-century documentation against nineteenth-century family recollections, the work demonstrates how unverified oral tradition became embedded in public school curricula. It endures as a sharp, clear example of historical debunking and civic analysis.

The Story

The argument begins with the foundational legislative record: the resolution passed by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777, establishing thirteen alternate red and white stripes with thirteen white stars in a blue field as the national flag. The author points out that the official journal contains no record of who introduced the resolution, who served on a committee to draft it, or who manufactured the initial flag. This absence of archival evidence establishes the core problem that historical research must confront.

The narrative shifts to the origin of the popular myth, tracing it to a specific framed color print hanging in a home in Scottsville. The picture portrays George Washington, Robert Morris, and George Ross visiting Betsey Ross in 1776 to inspect a completed flag. Prompted by the print's dramatic claim, the investigation surveys thirteen separate published works on American flag history to trace the evolution of the narrative.

Early histories written by military officers during the nineteenth century make no mention of Betsey Ross. The claim only emerged in 1870, when her grandson, William J. Canby, read a paper before the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Canby stated that his grandmother recalled a June 1776 visit from Washington and a congressional committee. He claimed she altered a pencil sketch provided by Washington and sewed the prototype flag.

Subsequent books expanded this family story. Later writers transformed Canby's account of simple needlework into claims that Ross originated the entire design. While some authors expressed skepticism regarding the lack of written records, popular books, romantic novels, and educational guides adopted the story as established truth. The myth culminated in state-issued manuals instructing public school children that Ross created the flag.

The investigation concludes by systematically contrasting the myth with historical realities. Washington kept extensive diaries and carried on voluminous correspondence, yet wrote nothing about a visit to Ross. No contemporary Philadelphia newspaper reported the event, and military forces carried no such standard in battles prior to late 1777. Her real history shows she was an expert seamstress who made state marine colors, but the claim of her designing the national banner relies entirely on hearsay. The work ends with a definitive answer: Betsey Ross did not design the flag of the United States.

How It Unfolds

The legislative mystery The Continental Congress adopts the flag resolution on June 14, 1777, but leaves no record of who proposed the design or manufactured the initial flag.

The framed illustration A colorful print viewed in a private house asserts that Washington, Morris, and Ross visited Betsey Ross in 1776 to obtain the completed national standard.

The silent early histories Works on flag history published in 1853 and 1864 fail to mention Betsey Ross, attributing the flag's emergence to gradual evolution rather than a single creator.

The grandson's statement In 1870, William J. Canby introduces the claim to the Pennsylvania Historical Society, citing childhood memories of his grandmother's accounts supported by living family members.

The growth of the legend Sensational pamphlets and romantic novels distort the family's claim, turning a seamstress who modified a sketch into the sole originator of the flag.

Institutional adoption Educational materials, including a state-issued public school manual, publish the myth as fact, attributing the nation's standard entirely to Ross.

The archival verdict Extensive reviews of eighteenth-century records reveal no mention of the visit in Washington's writing, no news reports, and no evidence that such a flag was carried in early battles.

The People

• Betsey Ross (Elizabeth Griscom Ross Ashburne Claypoole): An expert Philadelphia needlewoman, lace-maker, and flag-maker who carried on her first husband's upholstery business for decades. She sewed colors for merchant ships and batteries, but her supposed role in designing the original national flag rests on unverified family stories told decades after the Revolution.
• William J. Canby: The grandson of Betsey Ross who first made her claim public in 1870 by reading a paper to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. He based his account on childhood memories of his grandmother's stories, asserting she modified a drawing brought to her by a committee.
• General George Washington: The commander of the Continental Army who appears in the popular legend as leading a committee to visit Ross in 1776. His voluminous diaries, letters, and contemporary records contain no reference to such a meeting or design effort.
• John H. Fow: A twentieth-century legal writer and historian whose 1908 work criticized the Ross claim for lack of documentary proof, arguing that teaching the story to children propagated a historical untruth.
• Franklin Hanford: The author and presenter who rigorously investigates historical texts, corresponds with state education officials, and evaluates the evidence using legal standards to dismantle the myth.

In Its Own Voice

“The Journal of Congress is silent as to the name of the member or committee that introduced this resolution and neither is there any record of the discussions that may have preceded the adoption of our national emblem.”

Context: Establishing the complete absence of eighteenth-century official records detailing how the national flag resolution of June 1777 came to be introduced.

“These expressions are to history what the expression 'they say' in common gossip or talk is to the truth, and are worth just as much.”

Context: Commenting on the reliance of popular history writers on vague phrases like 'tradition tells us' to justify unverified claims.

“The answer, then, to the question propounded at the beginning of this paper is, that Betsey Ross did not design the flag of the United States of America.”

Context: Delighting in a definitive conclusion after comparing family hearsay against the historical record.

What It's Really About

The work explores the tension between romantic myth and historical truth within civic identity. It addresses how easily unverified oral accounts can harden into accepted history when driven by patriotic enthusiasm. By tracing how a family memory published ninety-three years after the fact entered school textbooks, the text exposes the mechanics of legend creation.

It questions the standard of proof required for historical claims, demonstrating that popular consensus cannot substitute for documentary evidence. The text calls for objective standards in public education, arguing that reverence for national symbols should rest on verified facts rather than manufactured folklore. Ultimately, it urges citizens to evaluate historical claims with the same scrutiny required in a court of law.

Why Read It Today

This work offers a clear, accessible masterclass in historical methodology and critical thinking. Readers who enjoy unraveling popular myths or exploring early American history will appreciate the straightforward, evidence-based approach. The prose remains direct and plainspoken, avoiding dense academic jargon while maintaining high standards of logical inquiry.

The text is brief and focused, making it an engaging study in how popular culture shapes national memory. While it reflects early twentieth-century archival limitations, its core lesson regarding the danger of accepting hearsay as fact remains relevant. It serves as a reminder to question comfortable narratives and seek reliable sources. Readers left with an interest in civic mythology will appreciate reflecting on how contemporary society builds its own historical symbols.