Independence day?

I was a little bummed to read in yesterday’s Las Cruces Sun-News that Betsy Ross was not likely to have been the original flag-maker we’d all been led to believe. According to Leepson’s book Flag: An American Biography, the original flagmaker is unknown but it’s original designer was Francis Hopkinson, attorney and designer of seals and emblems. What is evident is that several flags were made by several people.


Mary Young Pickersgill of Baltimore sewed the Star-Spangled Banner, which was raised at Fort McHenry in Baltimore to celebrate the American victory after a 25-hour battle with the British during the War of 1812. The invoice for $405.90, paid by the Army, is on display at the Flag House and Star-Spangled Banner Museum in Baltimore. The 30-by-42-foot banner took several weeks to sew. Each star was two feet in diameter, and Pickersgill had to use the floor of a nearby brewery to lay out the fabric. This story, originally published in the Washington Post is here. A related NPR story is here.

On a personal level, it seems I’ll be less independent this day and forth. I’ve become engaged. I’m still a bit shell-shocked I think. While I hadn’t lost hope, I did not think I’d ever remarry. Discussion now centers on just who is responsible for planning a wedding. I’m still laughing that he thinks I’ll be doing it. If I have to plan it, our marriage ceremony will consist of registering at a hotel as Mr and Mrs Husman, which constitutes a legal marriage in the state of Texas!

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8 comments

  1. Josh says:

    Congrats on the engagement! What kind of machines do you have? Do you have a bar tacker? Just list what you have and how much… Hopefully having another person bringing in income into the house will help you spend more time on this site! : ) I’m hoping!

  2. Arlene says:

    Congratulations on your engagement and entering a new chapter in your life. Do you happen to have an Automatic Handpress Snap/grommet attaching machine?

  3. Susan McElroy says:

    Wow! Congrats to you and your STB DH! Mr Husman, take care of this lady…we need her and what she does here.

    On to business…my son emailed me that he’s safely in class in Costa Rica, so I’m going to get started on the tutorials. I will be more than happy to credit you for them and charge students for the privelege. That won’t happen until I’m competent myself, of course. I’m going to have to use a nail to punch the pattern for now, but will definitely order proper materials from your recommended company.

  4. Susan McElroy says:

    Another quick comment on Betsy Ross–I used to be married to a history prof in Latin America, and “History” is just chock-a-block full of these stories. Here’s a real shocker: The Virgin of Guadalupe, whose appearance was manifested by that cape with the roses and image, etc.? Well, it was only after a few decades that it was decided to call it a miracle; they actually know who painted the thing–it’s in church records even. But the myth is just too important to let go now, so the belief isn’t challenged except in academic circles, where it’s just kind of matter-of-factly referred to.

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