Betsy Ross and the Three Moochers (Why the Flag Has 5-Pointed Stars)

Betsy Ross was down to her last nerve.

Oh, you won’t find this story in any history book but legend has it that General George Washington visited Betsy in her Philadelphia upholstery business and flag shop in May 1776. Washington, along with two other men — financier Robert Morris and Colonel George Ross, her late husband’s uncle — showed up on her doorstep with a rough sketch of a flag.

Can’t you see it? Betsy is up to her neck in upholstery orders. Her husband John, a member of the Pennsylvania militia, had been killed in a gunpowder explosion in January. Betsy’s overwhelmed with grief. But, she still needs to work round the clock, burning the candle at both ends to keep her business alive.

It had to be a challenge. And then her husband’s no-good, freeloading uncle and two of his friends come to her shop with grandiose plans for a new flag and country. Yeah, yeah, she probably was taken aback by Washington’s commanding presence — historians always seem to make a note of it — but she didn’t have time for games. She was a 24-year-old widow. She certainly didn’t have time for wishful dreams. She had to make a living.

Something gnawed at her, though. She decides to take a five minute break to see what the moochers wanted. She sips her tea and listens as they rattle on about their “fantastic idea,” showing her a hastily drawn sketch of a flag with thirteen 6-pointed stars. They say the new nation is going to surprise people and they need a flag that knocks people’s socks off. Betsy rolls her eyes, but lets it go. She’s heard it all before — that’s what every customer wants.

Betsy Ross House – Philadelphia

A Likely Story

Oh yes, historians love to talk about George Washington’s beautiful, bold handwriting. Thomas Jefferson even raved about it in a letter in 1814, calling it clear, neat, and easy to read. But three guys huddled over a tavern table after a few pints? I suspect that flag sketch left a lot to be desired.

While there were no bars or taverns on Betsy’s street, we’re talking Philadelphia here. The surrounding neighborhood had to be packed with pubs and watering holes. Heck, I’m not saying the boys meant to get blitzed before stopping to see Betsy, but can’t you see the three of them meeting up, getting the barkeep to pour them three cold ones, and sitting down at a table to sketch out their thoughts?

Washington wanted a triumphant eagle in flight. Morris argued for a crest with the Liberty Bell. Stymied, the three of them decided to get another round of beers. The game was blaring on the TV in the corner. Now, we’re talking Revolutionary War times, so there was no baseball or football — but the local tavern definitely had the Quoits match (a predecessor to horseshoes) turned up loud. The Philadelphia Warriors were kicking the New York Numskulls’ butts.

One thing led to another, and six pints later, Washington and his entourage were too sloshed to draw much else. Deciding to make it easy on themselves, they went with the stars and left to meet up with Betsy.

Real professional guys!

Betsy Ross House – Philadelphia

Betsy To The Rescue

This is where Betsy Ross takes over — at least in my fairy-tale version of the story. Ross’ grandson kind of backs up my make-believe story. Close to a century later, he shared an oral history claiming she suggested changing the stars to 5-pointed ones and arranging them in a circle. The red, white, and blue scraps were probably left-overs — just what she had readily available.

Let’s think about this. Betsy had to be busy. Like any mom-and-pop business, she had too much work and too little time. She took one look at the design and those 6-pointed stars and imagined how she’d be up half the night trying to sew them. A five-pointed design was definitely the way to go. Snip, snip here, a stitch or two there, and she would be back to watching The Wheel of Fortune in no time.

If she was lucky, she’d get the flag done in half the time and treat herself to a Philadelphia soft pretzel and a classic cheesesteak for dinner. For the record, Betsy always liked her cheesesteaks from Jim’s South Street or Dalessandro’s Steaks. No tourist-trap shops like Pat’s or Geno’s for her. She was a true-blue Philadelphian inside and out.

Betsy gave the three men her ideas on the spot. Washington had no clue — he was great with maps and military tactics, not so great with fabric design. Morris didn’t even bat an eye. He was the money guy. What colors went well with each other on a flag? Forget about it. And Colonel George Ross? Oh, he was completely out of his element. He was a lawyer from Lancaster — a two- to three-day horse ride away.

In 1776, Philadelphia, with an estimated population of 30,000 to 35,000 residents, was the most populous city in the Thirteen Colonies. Lancaster was surrounded by farmland and had a measly 5,000 residents. She could have sold him on thirteen tea bags. He was mostly just worried about getting lost in the big city: “Yeah, that’s all good. Now how do I get back to my inn? Do I make four rights and a left, or is it the other way around?”

AI’s Impression of Betsy Ross – with a little modern day Philadelphia twist thrown in too.

Show Me The Money!

Washington spent the rest of the impromptu meeting jabbering on and on about trying to get money from a stone. Of course, he was lobbying for wartime funds from the Continental Congress. With the matter of money out in the open, Betsy brought up her fee. The three men hemmed and hawed and avoided her question.

Betsy thought about going full Jerry Maguire on the three men, demanding that they “show me the money” before sending them packing up the Schuylkill River. Instead, she let them off the hook. If she was going to make the flag, she couldn’t play around forever. She had to get working.

The story is legend, but historical ledgers do make a note of a payment. They say that Betsy was paid 14 pounds, 12 shillings, and 2 pence one year later on May 29, 1777. A whopping 14 pounds!

Official ledgers spell out that she sewed “ships colours,” though historians note there is no official documentation proving she designed or created the very first U.S. flag. So yes, the damn fools — the three stooges to Betsy — forgot to give her credit. In the end, Betsy probably didn’t mind so much about the credit — especially when General Howe and the British seized Philadelphia a few months later in September. She had to share her Arch Street home with British soldiers who quartered there. It was probably better for her business and her personal safety not to be associated with the colonies’ new Stars and Stripes flag anyway!

Oh, poor, poor Betsy.

Independence Hall – Philadelphia

Betsy’s Work on Full Display

Betsy faced her share of difficulties, but she still led the way for the rest of us. We’ll celebrate her work this weekend. Flag Day is celebrated each year on June 14 to commemorate the adoption of the United States Flag. It is recognized as a national observance across the country, and Americans everywhere are encouraged to display the colors.

You go Betsy. You rocked the red, white, and blue. And yes, we’ve got five-pointed stars because of you — at least as legend has it.

Can’t you see things playing out like I suggest? What do you think really happened?

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Too bad we don’t have a witness who was actually there to tell us. But hey, if you love history mixed with a little bit of mystery and a lot of imagination, you’ll want to check out fellow blogger and author Jacqueline Vick’s new book, Giddy Up for Murder. Pet psychic Frankie Chandler attends a Revolutionary War reenactment, and when a man dies, the only witness to what really took place is a horse with a vendetta against the one person who couldn’t possibly have committed the crime. Oooh, I’m intrigued.

• Jacqueline Vick’s The Writers In Residence Blog: Fun Facts About the Revolutionary War You Didn’t Know
• Giddy Up for Murder (A Frankie Chandler Pet Psychic Mystery Book 9)

Jerry Maguire | “Show Me The Money”