Who Was Betsy Ross? Quotes

“In 1817, John Claypoole died at home. Betsy had worked hard to care for him, even as she grew older herself. For the third time in her life, Betsy was a widow.”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“In 1800, John Claypoole suffered what was probably a stroke. He could no longer work. He stayed home—and usually in bed—for the rest of his life. Betsy did her best to care for him, but it was not easy. By 1803,”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“But in the summer of that year, a tragic epidemic spread throughout Philadelphia. Yellow fever struck, and thousands of people died from the disease. Betsy’s parents died early in the epidemic. Betsy’s sister Deborah died, too. Her sister Mary died soon after, also possibly from the fever.”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“While Betsy was returning to her Quaker family, she and John were starting their own. In 1785, their first daughter, Clarissa, was born. She was joined a year later by Susan. The Claypooles continued to work together in their shop, moving to”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“The Old Mill Prison was a terrible place, with too many men packed into too little space. The prisoners actually sold their clothes to buy bread to eat. Disease spread quickly among the men. Joseph was among the hundreds of men who died there. Betsy Ross Ashburn was a widow once again.”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“Amid all the chaos, Joseph Ashburn returned safely from his latest voyage. While he and other men worked hard to clean up the mess the British had left behind, Betsy kept sewing. Along with flags, she sewed military supplies”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“By the spring of 1778, the British had left Philadelphia. Part of their army headed out to attack colonies to the south. The rest of the British moved on to New York City, where the fighting was fierce. In Philadelphia, they left behind a huge mess. Many buildings were ruined,”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“week later, Washington tried to attack British forces staying outside the city near Germantown. But the colonial army was beaten back. Wounded soldiers from both sides were carried the six miles back to Philadelphia. Betsy was among the many women who helped take care of the men. They rolled bandages and sewed slings and blankets.”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“Back in Philadelphia, Betsy’s life was changing again. She had met a sailor named Joseph Ashburn. On June 15, 1777, Betsy Ross became Betsy Ashburn when the pair married at the Old Swedes’ Church in Philadelphia.”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“Three men visited Betsy at her Philadelphia shop. One was George Ross, John’s uncle. He knew Betsy and was aware of her skill at sewing. George Ross had been part of the First Continental Congress and a leader in the colonies. The second man was another colonial leader, Robert Morris. He was a very rich man who helped raise”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“Early in 1776, John was badly injured. No one is really sure what happened. He may have been hurt by exploding gunpowder that blew up while he was on guard duty. Another version of events says simply that he was hurt while training. It is certain that John died of his injuries, and on January 21, 1776, he was buried”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“The minutemen soon had to put down their rakes and aprons and pick up their guns. The American Revolutionary War began on April 19, 1775, in Lexington, Massachusetts. The minutemen had clashed with British troops on a road just outside”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“Betsy and John eloped. They crossed the Delaware River to nearby Gloucester, New Jersey. On November 4, 1773, beside a large wood fireplace at an inn called Hugg’s Tavern, they became man and wife.”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“In 1765, Great Britain passed a new tax on its American colonies. This was nothing new, as the colonists were all British subjects and expected to be loyal to King George III. But this new tax made many colonists angry. The Stamp Act said that every piece of paper had to have a special stamp on it. Those stamps cost the colonists”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“Betsy worked six days a week. She gathered the materials the workers needed, including fabric, needles, and thread. Sometimes she made deliveries to customers. And she became a better seamstress. She had a busy life in a busy city.”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“On January 30, 1836, when she was eighty-four years old, Betsy Ross passed away.”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“Ten years later, at age seventy-five, Betsy finally stopped working. Her daughter Clarissa, and Margaret, Betsy’s niece, took over the shop.”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“Betsy kept working. Her daughters helped as much as they could, but one by one, they married and started their own families.”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“In 1795, she and John had another daughter, Harriet, but the baby died ten months later. In 1799,”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“The yellow fever epidemic was over by early 1794.”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“By 1793, Betsy and John had a fine family, a good home, and steady work.”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“John and Betsy could afford to buy a horse and carriage by 1786.”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“larger home in 1787. They needed the room; by then, they had two more daughters, Rachel and Jane.”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“Two years later, Betsy’s old friend John Claypoole asked her to be his wife. They were married on May 8, 1783.”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“captured, and Joseph was put in a British prison called the Old Mill.”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“Later that same year, Joseph set sail on the Lion, which went all the way to Europe, chasing British ships. The Lion was”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“Food was still scarce in the city. People were burning furniture to keep warm. Sadly, Aucilla got sick and died when she was less than a year old. In 1781, the couple had a second daughter, Eliza.”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“Betsy and Joseph’s first child, a daughter named Aucilla, was born on September 15, 1779.”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“the Continental army.”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?

“where it became harder and harder to survive”
― James Buckley Jr., Who Was Betsy Ross?