Teen Robert Heft Designed the American Flag

I found out something really fun yesterday as we were celebrating the holiday.  Did you know that our current flag was designed by a kid?  I didn't know that either!  Let me tell you the story.

In 1958, the states of Alaska and Hawaii were about to be admitted into the United States.  That meant the flag would be changed again, adding two more stars. A teacher in Lancaster, Ohio made it a class assignment to design a new flag, incorporating 50 stars and 13 stripes.  One student, a shy 17 year old named Robert G. Heft spent a weekend working on it.  He got out his grandparent's current 48 star flag, cut off the stars and patched the holes.  He then used iron-on white fabric and cut out 100 stars, ironing them on both sides of the blue in his design—five rows of six stars alternating with four rows of five stars. 

When he turned it in, his teacher gave him a B minus on his project.  He marked it down from an A because he said it 'lacked originality' but said if Congress accepted it as the National Flag, he'd give him a higher grade.  Robert was disappointed… his design had to WIN to get an A?  Really?

Robert took up the challenge and he sent his flag to his Ohio Congressman, who liked it and sent it to the committee that was considering new designs in Washington.  About 1500 designs were submitted to this committee.

It took time, but Robert Heft's design was chosen, and it became the new American flag.  On July 4^th, 1960 Robert Heft stood next to President Dwight Eisenhower as his handmade flag was raised over the Capitol's dome in Washington DC. The new American Flag was unfurled! Roberts little homemade ironed-on flag was the National flag of America!

Robert's teacher got out his old grade book and gave Robert an A.  I'm glad that Robert didn't quit, had faith in his work and submitted it, even after his teacher discouraged him.  I think the flag is beautiful in its simplicity and clean in its design.  And now it symbolizes all that makes America great.  When I see the flag flying high, and sing the 'Star Spangled Banner' I can hardly contain my emotions.  It moves me to tears.   I'm sure I'm not alone in that reaction.

For more, search Wikipedia under Robert Heft, or see Blyth, Myrna. How to Raise an American 2007, Crowne Publishing, p. 170.  Photo courtesy of Microsoft Clip art

A Revolutionary War Hero Captain John Felt

I thought it would be fun to dig out my genealogy and see if any of our ancestors fought in the War of the Revolution, since it's the 4th of July.  My digging paid off big!

Most people think the Lexington Alarm was the first British invasion on American soil, to put down the rebels.  But the British invaded Salem a few months prior to that, and were repelled with such force that the British chose Boston as the invasion site instead. 

On February 26, 1775, British Colonel Alexander Leslie landed his troops in Marblehead, Massachusetts and started marching towards Salem, single file.  They chose a Sunday supposing that the Puritans would all be in church and Salem would fall handily.  But the cry, "The Foe, The foe, they come!" pulled the worshipers from the meetings.  A prearranged drum beat began outside the meetinghouse door, signalling the residents to gather arms and convene on the town square. 

The British, marching now in beat with drum and fife corps playing 'Yankee Doodle Dandy' got as far as the North bridge in Salem when they were halted as the bridge had been drawn up.  Dialog (minus the abundant profanities) follows:

Leslie:  Draw down that bridge!  It's a part of the Kings Royal Highway into Salem.

Crowd:  We built it with our own hands and paid for it ourselves.  It's our (swearing) drawbridge and road.

Leslie (stamping and swearing): I demand you lower that bridge or we'll fire.

Captain John Felt:  You had better be damned than fire.  You have no right to fire without further orders.  If you fire, you'll all be dead men.

Men were sitting on the raised drawbridge, trash talking the British.  Others formed a line in front of the drawbridge.  They taunted them, one man opening his shirt coat and demanding to be speared.  The Redcoat pricked his chest and drew blood.  The crowd only got more agitated.  A woman shouted from an upper window, taunting the soldiers to shoot her. 

A clergyman negotiated that the British be allowed to pass through the drawbridge, survey the town for any stolen cannon, and leave.  Finding no cannon (they had been hidden during the stalling) the British left to a flat and defeated cadence.  The local militia 'escorted' the Redcoats back to their ship empty handed.  Being that Captain John Felt was a leader in the conflict, and spoke for the men, I imagine that he had more to do than just shout that challenge.  He may have directed the movements of the militia as the conflict played out.  I would love to know his whole role in this...

Quote from John Goff's article "More to the Story:  Col. Alexander Leslie's Retreat" Gate House News Service Feb 29, 2008:  The involvement of minutemen and liberty-protectors from many communities made the Leslies' Retreat Affair a very early and tide-turning American victory.  It proved the British could be halted-- and repelled.  It was a needed early victory before Concord, Lexington, and Bunker Hill.  It involved profound tension, military and verbal posturing as well as a clash of wills.  Yet it emboldened colonial citizens from all walks of life and contributed substantially the primary ingredient needed before any great victory:  self confidence.  In April, 1775, before Concord, the British reported "The Americans have hoisted their standard of liberty --  at Salem."  



Captain John Felt was just the man to repel this British invasion.  Contemporary Charles Endicott wrote this about him.  

"He was at this time about fifty years of age.  His frame, square, strong and muscular, denoted him a man whom it would be the part of prudence to avoid in single combat.  Salem possessed many men whose social position in life was perhaps superior, men of more wealth, of more erudition, of more influence in her public councils; but none of greater moral worth or irreproachable private character.  His love of independence and hatred of tyranny had shone through his whole life, and with these qualities was blended the most intrepid resolution.  There lived no one in whose heart glowed a warmer love for the liberties of his country, and none more ready to peril, and if need be to sacrifice, his life in support of her cause.  In a word, he was just the man for an emergency:  of cool, determined bravery, calm and collected in the hour of danger.  These qualities inspired every one with confidence in his ability successfully to control and direct any daring enterprise or forlorn hope which his inclination prompted him to lead.  Had a man of less firmness and weaker judgement stood in his place in all probability the first battle of the war would have been fought at the North Bridge, Salem." (Deseret Evening News Saturday 11 Dec 1909, pg. 31.)

Another source where I got the dialog is Paul Revere's Ride by David Hackett Fischer pgs 62-64.

Just thought you'd enjoy this fun story.  There is a place for trash talking! 
Have a great 4th of July!

Revolutionary War and Colonel Robert Johnston

Dear Family,
Happy Independence Day!  We spent a part of this morning looking up ancestors to see if we had a connection with the Revolutionary War.  I wanted to forward to you the excerpt below from Ancestry.com about Colonel Robert Johnston of Newbury, Vermont.  Colonel Johnston was my multiple great grandfather.  I thought this was pretty cool and wanted you all to have a chance to read this!
Have a great holiday!
Scott



History of Newbury, Vermont

Colonel Robert Johnston "built the first two story house in town in which he kept tavern. This building, which is now a barn at the south end of Newbury village, stood a little above Mr. Laing's house, and was surrounded by a stockade during the Revolutionary War. He is mentioned as keeping tavern in 1769. Later, (a family tradition says in 1775), he built the house, now very much altered, where Robert J. Hibbard now lives. The first spirits sold at his bar were brought up from Concord in square kegs on horseback, says Rev. Clark Perry. Besides his service with his brother (Colonel Charles Johnston) in the Old French war, he served twenty days in Capt. Thomas Johnson's Co. of minute men in 1775. He also served as minute man in Peter Olcot's Regiment in 1776; Capt. Thomas Johnson's Co., guarding and scouting, 57 days. In Oct. 1778, he was commissioned Lieut.-Col. of the 4th Regiment, and is later spoken of as Colonel. He was also recruiting officer, and his house was the rendezvous several times for troops. Col. Frye Bayley's diary for 1776 states that the training field was behind Col. Johnston's house and from that place the company under Col. Bayley started for Saratoga. He was chosen constable in 1769, and was one of the representatives from Newbury to the Constitutional Convention at Windsor, June 4, 1777. He seems to have declined to serve as Assistant Judge for Orange County in 1781, being elected Sheriff of the County. In 1787, he was chosen one of a committee of five to build the meeting house. In 1788, he was one of a committee to build a parsonage. Some years before his death he relinquished his fine farm to his sons, Charles and Robert, and removed to the farm long owned by the late John E. Chamberlain. Col. Robert Johnston was one of those who opposed the course taken by Rev. Peter Powers in the last year of his ministry, and when the Rev. Grant Powers prepared his historical sketches he avenged his uncle by entirely neglecting him, with others. Col. Robert Johnston was four times married; 1st to Abigail Hadlock (Hadley), who died May 25, 1771; 2d, Abigail Way, who died July 25, 1772; 3d, Jane (Jean) Bell, died in 1780; 4th, Hepzibah (Tyler), widow of James Bell; born Dec. 5, 1754 at Pembroke, N.H.; died July 8, 1846. He had sixteen children, six by the first, one by the second, two by the thrid, and seven by the fourth."