Betsy Ross

I was born into a Quaker family.   I was the eighth child in a family of 17 children.   I lived in Philadelphia.   In school I learned reading, writing, and math.   Also each child learned a special skill.   I learned how to sew.   By age 12, I had finished school.   At this time I spent time learning homemaking skills such as cooking, cleaning, and managing household money.
    Shortly after finishing school my father wanted me to learn a special skill.   I worked for John Webster in an upholstery shop.  
    Can you guess who I am?   God allowed me to learn sewing skills in school, and to work in an upholstery shop to polish my skills.   These are the same skills He used in my life to do an important job.   Yes, I am Betsy Ross.                                
      My first husband had just died when Mr. George Washington came to our shop to ask for my help to design the new flag. My first suggestion was to make it a rectangle. There were thirteen stars and thirteen stripes to stand for the thirteen colonies.   We put the stars in a circle to show that the colonies were united.
    When my flag was chosen, I went to work   the next week.   I cut six white stripes, and seven red stripes.   In the corner I placed the dark blue rectangle with thirteen white stars.   I thought to myself, “Now our country has a star spangled banner.”   The flag was chosen to lead the country into battle.   A year later the flag became the official flag of the nation.  
    I continued to work until I was 75 years old.   I                                                                                                                       then turned my business over to my daughter Clarissa and my niece Margaret.
    Betsy Ross died Jan. 30, 1836 of natural causes.