Our nation's flag received one of its nicknames from a young sea captain who lived in Salem, Massachusetts. On March 17, 1824, during the 21st birthday celebration of Captain William Driver, his mother and a group of local young women presented a beautiful handcrafted flag to him as a present. Delighted with the gift, he exclaimed, "I name her 'Old Glory.'" Afterwards, his precious 24-star/13-stripe flag accompanied the captain on numerous voyages. When he quit the sea in 1837, Capt. Driver settled in Nashville, Tennessee, where he dutifully acknowledged patriotic days by proudly flying Old Glory, attaching it to a rope that extended from his home to a tree across the street. Although it originally bore 24 stars, Captain Driver’s worn and tattered flag was remade in 1861 with 34 stars, plus a white anchor to signify the captain’s years at sea. In fear for its safety when Tennessee seceded from the Union in 1861, Captain Driver protected his beloved flag by sewing it inside a purple calico comforter. On February 25, 1862, when Union soldiers entered Nashville, a relieved Driver removed Old Glory from its hiding place, and carried the cherished red-white-and-blue banner to the state capitol building, where he promptly raised it for all to see. When his death seemed imminent, the old sea captain deposited a small bundle into his daughter’s arms. He solemnly requested, "Mary Jane, this is my ship flag, Old Glory. It has been my constant companion. I love it as a mother loves her child. Cherish it as I have cherished it." Captain Driver was buried in the old Nashville City Cemetery, and his grave is one of three places authorized by an act of Congress where the Flag of the United States may be flown 24 hours a day. The precious patriotic heirloom remained in the Driver family until 1922. Since then, Old Glory has been carefully preserved under glass in the National Museum of American History at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
This color coordinated collection of fashion fabrics was first featured in our Vogue Fabrics By Mail Summer 2011 catalog of swatches. Subscribe to receive home delivery of these catalogs every other month.
This color coordinated collection of fashion fabrics was first featured in our Vogue Fabrics By Mail Summer 2011 catalog of swatches. Subscribe to receive home delivery of these catalogs every other month.
