Betsy Ross - Revolutionary War

Revolutionary War

The American Revolutionary War broke out when the two had been married for two years. As a member of the local militia, John Ross was assigned to guard munitions and was killed by a gunpowder explosion. The 24-year-old Betsy worked in the upholstery business repairing uniforms and making tents and blankets and stuffed paper tube cartridges with musket balls in 1779 for the Continental Army.

There is speculation that Betsy was the "beautiful young widow" who distracted Carl von Donop in Mount Holly, New Jersey, after the Battle of Iron Works Hill, thus keeping his forces out of the Battle of Trenton.

On June 15, 1777, she married her second husband, mariner Joseph Ashburn. Ashburn's ship was captured by a British frigate in 1780. He was charged with treason and imprisoned in England. While Ashburn was imprisoned, their first daughter together, Zilla, died at nine months of age and their second daughter, Eliza, was born. Ashburn died of an unknown illness in a British jail.

In May 1783, she married an old friend, John Claypoole. The couple had five daughters. With the birth of their second daughter, they moved to a larger house on Second Street. After two decades of poor health, Claypoole died in 1817. Ross continued the upholstery business for 10 more years. Upon retirement, she moved in with her daughter, Susanna, to a section of Abington.

Ross, by then completely blind, spent her last three years living with her daughter, Jane, in Philadelphia. On Saturday, January 30, 1836, Ross died at the age of 84.

Although it is one of the most visited tourist sites in Philadelphia, the claim that Ross once lived at the Betsy Ross House is a matter of dispute.