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Birth
Betsy Ross was born on January 1st, 1752, New Years Day in Philadelphia PA. This date is important because this is the day she was born. -
Childhood
Betsy was one of the seventeen children in her quaker family, but only nine of these children survived to adulthood. The others died before Betsy turned twenty-one. In 1758 Betsy learned how to sew. This is important because this will soon lead to what she is remembered for. -
John Ross
In November, at the age of 21, Betsy eloped with John Ross, the son of an Episcopal assistant rector. They had to elope because Quakers did not believe that people should marry outside of their religion. However, Betsy fell deeply in love with her fellow apprentice at an upholstery shop. After crossing the Delaware River and getting married in New Jersey, Betsy was cut off from communication with her family. -
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young adult
When Betsy Ross was a young adult she ran away with her first husband. They opened up a store in 1773 were Betsy sewed. George Washington visited Betsy in 1776 and asked her make the United States first flag. -
Creating the flag
Surprisingly to everyone’s knowledge it is only a rumor that George Washington approach Betsy and asked her to make the first American flag. It could be possible that she was never approach to create the flag. Although she purportedly sewed the first flag in 1776, Ross wasn't credited with this work during her lifetime. In fact, her story was first publicly relayed to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania nearly a century later, in 1870 -
Joseph Ashburn
In June Betsy remarried to a sea captain named Joseph Ashburn. During the winter, Betsy and Joseph and their two daughters were forced to share their home with British soldiers. -
John Claypoole
In May Betsy married John Claypoole, a sailor who had also been in the Old Mill Prison with Captain Asburn. This ceremony was the first of her marriages to be performed at Christ Church, which was her hometown church from the days of her childhood. Betsy convinced John Claypoole to stop sailing and to join her in the upholstery business. -
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Working and sewing
Betsy taught her daughters how to sew, and they made many flags together in their shop in 1790. Betsy made flags for many other things such as for forts and ships in 1810. But her job ended in 1827 when she was too old to keep sewing. -
Betsy's kids
Betsy and John had five daughters together and Betsy had two daughters from the past, although one of them had passed away when she was very young. John Claypoole passed away after years of illness. -
Death
Betsy Ross died January 30th,1836 when she was 84 years old in Philadelphia. Her body was finally buried back in her hometown. -
Betsy Bridge
A truss bridge, which crosses the Delaware River, was named after Betsy Ross. It has the distinction of being the first automotive bridge to be named after a woman. -
different burials
First she was buried at the Free Quaker burial ground in Philadelphia. Twenty years later her remains were brought to Mt. Moriah Cemetery in Philadelphia. Her remains were moved again in 1975 when the city of Philadelphia had the remains moved to the courtyard by the Betsy Ross House.