Charles H. Weisgerber and The Betsy Ross Memorial Association

The story of Charles Weisgerber, as it concerns us, began in 1893, when the city of Philadelphia offered a $1,000 prize for the best rendition of a local historical event. According to a report in the Philadelphia Inquirer, which conducted an interview with Weisgerber's grandson:

Family lore has it that around that time, the elder Weisgerber happened to stroll by the Betsy Ross House, where he spotted a sign reading "Home of Betsy Ross: seamstress, upholsterer and maker of the first American flag."

He conferred with Ross' grandson, William Canby, and began painting. Ultimately, his work featured a seated Ross with the flag spread out toward Washington, Robert Morris, and George Ross, members of a committee charged with finding someone to design and make a flag to unite the colonies.

His grandfather won the city's $1,000 prize, and his painting was displayed at the World's Columbian Exhibition in Chicago that year. It also appeared at the 1933-34 Chicago World's fair, in the window of John Wannamaker in the 1930's, at a couple of war bond rallies in the Philadelphia area during World War II, and at the Pennsylvania Museum of Art in Harrisburg (Sama: September 27, 1997).

Five years later, in 1898, Charles H. Weisgerber would be the Founding Director of the "American Flag House and Betsy Ross Memorial Association." According to Greg Bell, researcher at the Betsy Ross House, Weisgerber launched a campaign to purchase the house on 239 Arch street, the site of the current Betsy Ross House, to be preserved and interpreted as a national shrine (Bell: Interview I/i). The Betsy Ross Website claims:

Starting in 1898, two million Americans donated dimes to help convert Betsy's house from a state of disrepair into a National Shrine and each donor received a certificate and a copy of the Weisgerber painting as a "thank you." In it you could see the Congressional Committee of George Washington, George Ross, and Robert Morris conferring with Betsy Ross as to the design of the new flag of the United States. (Link: Weisgerber).

And a news release in the Inquirer from the Summer of 1893 reads: "Flag House to be Saved to the Nation! Betsy Ross Homestead Will be Made a Museum of National Treasures, Bought by Patriotic Men, $25,00 Subscription Asked."

As the "official" tale would have it told, the purpose for which Weisgerber's "American Flag House and Betsy Ross Memorial Association" was originally chartered "was accomplished and the organization passed out of existence" (Holst: 1). But news from the Inquirer, in a lively and barely contained article from December 14, 1901, tells a different story. Evidently, the original members of the "Flag House and Betsy Ross Memorial Association," had pocketed a goodly amount of the proceeds garnered from certificate sales. Says Greg Bell, a current employee of the Betsy Ross House,"they were taking 70% of the money and putting it in their pockets. That's why they sold so many and why it took so long to buy the house. One of the newspaper articles claims it was a mistake of the person doing the audit, but [the alleged offenders] didn't do a very good job defending themselves, so I imagine they were doing it" (Bell: I/1).The lively Inquirer article picks the scandal up at its conclusion. In an annual meeting of the "American Flag House and Betsy Ross Memorial Association" in 1901, "A stormy time was had by the directors" (Inquirer: 1897), when they refused to reinsate Weisgerber to the Association's board. In 1901, Weisgerber was the manager and custodian of the Betsy Ross House, but he was among the nine original members of the association and expected--having "raised" enough money to purchase the house--that he would be rewarded with renewed membership to the Association's board. As Weisberger himself said it: "Our work is done. We have bought the house and have offered it to Congress as a gift." When reinstatement was denied him, an enraged Weisberger stormed the meeting, "About 12:30 o'clock," the Inquirer reads, "Mr Weisgerber came hurriedly down the stairs and burst excitedly into the [Director's] room . . . when asked how the meeting was proceeding he replied: "I have taken exception to a number of actions of the board. We will be through presently" (1901). It seems the "present" ending of the meeting was precipitated by a prudent (and guilty), John Quincy Adams who pulled the enraged Weisgerber aside and advised him, "You have a little business here selling copies of your picture and postal cards, so there may be some dissent about reinstatement at this time. Wait a year" (Inquirer: 1901). Thus concluded a chapter in the life of the man credited for painting the most famous and enduring Betsy Ross image. But the story doesn't end in 1901, for--it seems--Weisgerber's grandson is continuing the legacy.

Today his grandson is trying to give the flag away for –ironically—25K!