ROSS FAMILY, The, prominent in the creation of the United States flag. The 3rd Continental Congress, 14 June 1777 adopted the report of Gen. George Washington, Robert Morris and George Ross, and declared that the national flag of the United States shall be, of stars and stripes, red, white and blue. George Ross a member of the flag committee, also a signer of the Declaration of Independence, suggested that the widow of his nephew Col. John Ross, be chosen to make the new cloth flag. George Ross was three times chosen a delegate to the Continental Congress. He was a judge; he died in 1779, age 49.
When the Revolution broke out the family of the Rev. George Ross went with the colonists, except one son, who as a learned and influential attorney remained true to the king, and managed to make untold trouble for the family of Ross as well as all the other as he earnestly termed them. The other son of the Reverend Ross was a man of more cour age and daring; he asserted himself and be came one of the eloquent men who assisted in arousing the people of Philadelphia to resist the demands of the king. and if needs be, to greet the newly arrived soldiers with the out stretched sword. His independent nature so impressed itself upon the community that he was sent with Bemjamin Franklin and others as delegates to the Continental Congress which in 1776 framed and signed the Declaration of Independence. Wonderful as was his record in this convention of giants, he will be ever re membered as having been the man who was eager to have a flag for the continental army which would be emblematic of all the colonies, and when the committee was appointed to de sign a national banner, George Ross was placed with General Washington and Robert Mor ris, as a committee to prepare such a. symbol. It was probably he, rather than Washington who Mrs. Betsy Ross as the proper person to make that flag, although she was to Washington, as she had for many years made some of the fancy vests of George, and her laces were in evidence on a few of General Washington's coat sleeves. But it was
most likely that George Ross suggested that they call on his nephew's widow, Mrs. Elizabeth Ross, as she was not only the handiest, most dexterous needle worker in the Quaker City, but since her husband had recently been buried, death resulting from his heroic service in the continental army, and since she was continuing the dead soldier's business, that of upholstering, she was not only deserving this compliment but needed the money. Robert Morris, too, knew her well, and he like the other distinguished men of Philadelphia were embroidered and be laced kr her dainty threads of silk and satin. While it is uncertain which of the committee suggested her, though the evidence seems to point to George Ross (his sister was the wife of a signer of Declaration of Independence, George Read), the facts are she did make the flag, and made it according to a design agreed upon by the committee.
Her husband, John, was a volunteer and he was the son of the third son of Rev. George Ross who came from Scotland; his name was Amos and he was the rector of Trinity Church, Philadelphia, and his fame as an orator lives to this day in the records of the church. John was in the service of the continentals and while guarding the powder at a wharf, the explosion which took place killed him and destroyed valuable property. This accident took place m January 1777. See UNITED STATES FLAG.
But our colonial dame did not remain a widow long, in fact while she was stitching the new flag, on 13 June, her mind was not only on the wedding of the colonies into one great nation, but was also more deeply interested in her second wedding which was held over until the flag was approved or adopted— for on 14 June 1777 the Continental Congress accepted the emblem and on the next day, Sunday, 15 June, she was married to Joseph Ashburn a sea captain.