Did you know that Betsy Ross' full name was Elizabeth Griscom Ross, and that she was married three times (one of which was an elopement that got her disowned)? There was John Ross, then Joseph Ashburn, and then John Claypoole. (She sure loved her J's.) Betsy herself was born in January 1752 to Quaker parents and was the 8th of 17 kids. She was apprenticed to an upholsterer, and is credited for sewing the aptly named Betsy Ross flag, otherwise known as the stars and stripes flag. Legend has it that the great general Washington visited her in 1776 and commissioned her to make the flag.
Thing is, there's not much evidence at all to support this story, which only surfaced years later in the writings of her grandson in 1870. The painting of George Washington by Charles Wilson Peale in 1779 shows a flag with six pointed stars, while the Betsy Ross legend says she insisted on a five pointed star pattern.
What we do know is that she worked to make flags for the Pennsylvanian navy during the Revolution, so she was definitely a flag maker - we just can't prove that she made the stars and stripes flag. It's most likely a Ross family legend, because we all want to have a cool famous person in our ancestry. It's not as exciting to say that Grandma was the best if you needed someone to sew mattresses, chair covers and window blinds.
In any case, she lived a long life full of years and adventure, losing two husbands to the war and having her house taken over by the British to house their soldiers. She was the mother of 7 children (5 of whom reached adulthood), working in her upholstery shop after the war with her daughters until passing away in 1836, leaving the shop to them.
Even though she didn't make the stars and stripes flag, she still made her contribution to the war effort, as everyone did, to gain our independence, and should be remembered alongside the other brave men and women.
Alright, history lesson over. In that patriotic spirit, check out our Mane Event for May!
Yes, the clip is named Betsy. You can get the clip by itself, or get the whole package with the clip, cosmetic bag, travel size hair serum (highly recommended!), and surprise item.
Another option is these patriotic hair sticks. I've already ordered a couple for myself!
There are a few more new releases that aren't red, white and blue, so go check it all out! Mother's Day is coming up soon, so make sure you have your gifts on the way!
Last FYI: the retail special has been pretty popular, so they're extending it through the month of May - orders of $80+ get you a free 4-pack of jersey knit headbands! I hear they're pretty soft.
Have fun, and reach out to me here if you have any questions or need assistance with anything (like gifts for mom!). I'll be here, having fun with flags.
-Annalisa
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