WESTMORELAND COUNTY, Pa. — Before there was a United States of America, there was a flag stitched in Westmoreland County that symbolized the spirit of independence during the American Revolution. That flag is now displayed in many parts of the county.
The flag is now displayed in many parts of the county, but Channel 11 learned the true history behind its creation.
The rattlesnake flag was created by a 17-year-old girl named Elizabeth Craig and was first displayed in the fall of 1775 during the American Revolution.
The flag shows a rattlesnake hissing at the British Union Jack, with a tail showing 13 rings, symbolizing the 13 colonies independent from the crown. The ‘JP’ at the top of the flag represents John Proctor, who led the first battalion from Hannastown in Westmoreland County to the war.
But the flag’s history is linked more to the man who carried it onto the battlefield.
“She made that flag for her father, Samuel Craig Senior, who proudly held that flag into battle,” said Bryan Craig Watt, who acts as a Historian for the Craig Family. “He had three sons. So, the Craigs were a group that protected that flag. When you research women during that time frame, they were always kept in the shadows. We heard about Betsy Ross, but we never heard about Elizabeth Craig from Westmoreland County.”
Watt is a direct descendant of the Craig family, who were originally from New Alexandria, Westmoreland County. He said his family’s flag is the last rattlesnake flag still in existence from the American Revolution.
“You go back in time, and you’re like ‘wow,’ my family wasn’t just there; they played a part in it. They participated in the American Revolution. They made the flag. They carried the flag,” Watt said.
It is unclear when the flag was officially adopted by the county, but it now flies proudly in front of the courthouse. After the American Revolution, John Proctor became the first sheriff for the county. In 2020, James Albert took over as sheriff. He’s from the same small town as Elizabeth Craig, so he decided to incorporate it into the department’s logo.
“It has a lot of history,” Sheriff Albert said. “A lot of times, patches are designed with something new. I like the old idea.”
John Proctor eventually returned the flag to the Craig family after the war, and they preserved it for over 104 years before gifting it to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.
The original flag sewn by Elizabeth Craig is now on display at the Fort Pitt Museum in Pittsburgh.
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