Elizabeth (Betsy) was born on January 1, 1752, the eighth of seventeenth children born to the well off Quaker family of Samuel and Rebecca Griscom, a successful carpenter who made his home in New Jersey - until the attraction of the big city brought them to Philadelphia when Betsy was three years old. The family moved to a large home at 4th and Arch Streets, just a few blocks from the more famous Betsy Ross House at 239 Arch Street. Betsy attended the Rebecca Jones School for Quakers.
We all know Betsy as a seamstress. After all, she sewed the first flag, right? Well, maybe or maybe not, but that comes later. In truth, after her schooling, Betsy undertook an apprenticeship under John Webster - one of the city's best-known upholsterers! No doubt part of her job involved learning to sew, but she also learned to repair chairs, curtains, rugs and even umbrellas. It was while studying the craft of upholstery that she met and fell in love with a fellow apprentice, John Ross.
John Ross was the son of was the son of an assistant rector at Christ Church of the Anglican Church of England. Scandal ensued. Being a Quaker, marriage outside of the faith was prohibited and those who chose to do so were "read out" much like we see today with the Amish and the act of "shunning." Since her family prohibited the marriage, Betsy, now just 21 years old, eloped to New Jersey and she and John were married at Hugg's Tavern in Gloucester, New Jersey.
The young couple returned to Philadelphia and opened their own upholstery business in 1774. Competition was stiff and business slow. Betsy and John attended Christ Church and sat in a pew next to George Washington's family pew. Just a few years later, however, war broke out and John joined the militia. He was assigned to guard ammunition stores along the Delaware River. Unfortunately, the gunpowder he was guarding exploded and a badly wounded John eventually died on January 21, 1776.
Now a widow, cut off from her family, and in wartime, Betsy had no choice but to try to continue the upholstery business by mending uniforms and making tents and blankets for the Continental army. The story now becomes a bit unclear - since the only record of what happens next comes from Betsy's grandson, William Canby. In a speech he gave to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania in 1870, Canby related the story of the first American flag as told to him years earlier by his grandmother
He told the story of a secret committee of the Continental Congress made up of George Washington, George Ross (Betsy's uncle by marriage) and Robert Morris that met her and asked her to make the first flag based on a prepared drawing. Betsy suggested some changes such as in the shape of the stars and then proceeded to sew not only the first flag, but also other flags for the new government for the next 50 years! True story or perhaps one of the new nations first urban legends? We'll never know.
In June of 1777, Betsy agreed to marry an earlier suitor from her youth, Joseph Ashburn - this time at Old Swedes' Church. Like her first husband, however, war impacted the marriage, as Joseph was a sea captain and away most of the time. Whether or not Betsy sewed the first flag, she was very active in her support of the Revolution. Angered by her involvement the British nicknamed her "The Little Rebel" and seized her home when they occupied Philadelphia in late 1777.
Four years and two daughters later, (the youngest of whom died at 9 months of age), Joseph was taken prisoner by the British. During his imprisonment, Betsy joined a new group of Quakers called the Free or "Fighting" Quakers. They openly supported the American Revolution - abandoning, at least temporarily, their pacifist beliefs. Joseph eventually died in an English prison in March of 1782.
A friend and fellow prisoner brought news of Joseph’s death to Betsy, John Claypool - who also had courted Betsy in her youth. Within a year, on May 8, 1783, Betsy and Claypool were married at Christ Church. Betsy was still just 31 and now three times married!
Betsy's third, and final marriage appeared as if it would be happy and successful. The couple had five daughters - four of whom lived to adulthood. Claypool had a job at the new U.S. Customs House. The upholstery business was successful. They were both active with the Free Quakers. Betsy had largely mended her relationships with her family.
Tragedies Strike:
Once again, however, numerous tragedies would strike. In 1793, Betsy’s mother, father, and sister died within days of each other from the yellow fever, leaving Betsy to raise her young niece. John Claypool suffered a devastating stroke in 1800. He survived the stroke, but was bedridden and required constant nursing care for the next 17 years. In 1812, Betsy and John’s young, and newly widowed daughter, Clarissa, moved into their home along with her five young children and a sixth on the way.
John Claypool died in 1817 when both he and Betsy were 65. Betsy, however, lived until 1836 working at the upholstery business until she was 76. She died, then totally blind, at the age of 84.
Married three times, Betsy has also been buried in three different locations: the Free Quaker burial ground on South 5th St. near Locust, Mt. Moriah (formerly Mt. Claypool) Cemetery, and now on Arch Street in the courtyard adjacent to the Betsy Ross House.
Visitors to Philadelphia flock to the Betsy Ross House at 239 Arch Street but no one really knows if Betsy actually ever lived there. She may have lived in the house next door that she also rented. The Betsy Ross House courtyard now sits on that location.