By ELMO SCOTT WATSON ECENTLYX eiled on there was un- the wall of a modest hrick house In Philadelphia a bronze tablet which tells the passer-by that * ‘Hall Co- lumbia’ was composed here by Joseph Hopkinson on April 22, 1708)” The nveiling was done by a little girl, Martha Hop- kinson, who thus honored the remory of her great-great-grand- father, a man whose name is known to comparatively few Americans. Yet Francis Hopkinson and Joseph Hop- kirkon offer an example of “famous father-worthy son” scarcely paralieled ™ »1 American history. their idepend- contrib- foundation of fitting that as Ir they it is eminently names should be recalled ence day approaches for ted materially to the (ur Republic and the establishment of the national tradition. Francis Hop Philadelphia in 17 Englishman who served se as a judge of the 3 member of the provincial council. kinson was the first at the University of Ivania (then the college of Philadelphia) and was graduated with its first class. He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1761. After serving as secretary to a conference between the provincial authorities and the chiefs of several Indian nations. and as librarian and secretary of the Philadelphia li- brary, he went to England in 1766 and became an intimate friend of Lord North, Benjamin West and John Penn. bormm In son of an kinson was the veral years and a Hop- scholar entered Pennsyl Upon his return to this country he resumed his law practice, kept store for awhile and became a member of two societies which united in 1760 to become the famous American Phil- osophiecal society. In 1772 he was ap- pointed Inspector of the customs at New Castle but was removed because of his radical ideas, He next moved to Bordentown, N. J., and was a mem- ber of the provincial council of that colony from 1774 to 1776. In the lat- ter year he was elected to the Con- tinental congress from New Jersey and became one of America’s im- mortals when he signed the Declara- tion of Independence, Historians now seem to agree gen- erally that the Betsy Ross legend of the origin of the flag can be accepted only with reservations. She may have made the first flag, so far as the actual cutting and sewing of it was con- cerned, but she was not the “designer.” The evidence as to who actually was is at best incomplete, but such evid- ence as exists points strongly to Fran. cis Hopkinson, It is known that he was greatly interested in the heraldic art, especially as it applied to seals, flags and coins. It is. known that in June, 1777, he was chairman of the navy board, acting under the marine committee of the Continental con- gress, and that the famous “flag reso- lution” of June 14, 1777, establishing the design of the national flag, was 1 some of them even being attributed to Benjamin Franklin. The most famous kinson's writings the Kegs,” of all of “The Battle of it which was based on an incider tion of Phil Bushnell had certain David invented a turtie shaped, one-man submarine which he to use in attaching bombs fuses to the bottoms of British sels in the Delaware river. Tests of this however, were not very s so the ious Bush- nell next conceived the idea of load- ing a number of kegs with powds r and putting th em in the river to float « and exp against the shi they hed them, Most them biew up when they struck in the river but stroy a British boat. however, to throw adelphia. A proposed and time Ves- unhmarine submarine, uccessful, ingen lown ior de touch cakes actually de- This » British ito a and they began bom warding : every floating object in the river, both the guns on the ships and soldiers on the wharves keeping up an incessant fire for hours. When Hopkinzgon one did as enough, the panie heard of this in- cident he wa amused that he wrote a poem called “The Battle of the Kegs.” It immediately became the most popular soldier song of the war and Washingtgn's soldiers sang it to a variation of the tune of Doodle” during the remainder conflict. It reads as follows: 8 80 “Yankee of the THE BATTLE OF THE KEGS Gallants, attend, and hear a friend Trill forth Larmonious ditty— Strange thi ngs I'll tell that late befell In Philadelphia City. "Twas early day, as poets say, Just when the sun was risis A 8 stood on log of wool And saw a sight surprising idier Ar In amaze he stocd to gaze The truth can't be denied, sirs He spied a score of kegs or more Come floating down the tide, sires. A sailor, too, in jerkin blue, The strange appearance viewing, First damned his eyes in great surprise, Then sald, "Some mischief’s brewing. “The kege now hold the rebel bold Packed up like pickled herring: And they've come down to attack town In this new way of ferrying™ The soldier flew, the sailor, too, And, scared, almost to death, sire, Wore out their shoes to spread news, And ran the the 'till out of breath, sire, Now up and down, town, Most frantic scenes were acted: And some ran here and some ran there, Like men almost distracted. throughout the Some In 1788S Hop of seven songs wi “His Excellency, Whether or do with his His son. Philadelphis owed closely Graduated ity Boa rani in 1786. he also studi law wpan acti in IB u t tis a., ; wut he soon retu 3 1 ts ar le to ladelphis 1 rapidly vi} Josey rned rose to a position of prominence at the bar. He was elec and ordentown where he ted to congress in is term 1 rem 1822. He then resumed the of law ar in 1528 Preside: Quincy appointed of the United St at the close of | ates cour district of held by pkinson, eastern Penney same office his grand Thomas Hog under the B crown. Ho pkinson died in Philadel Jonuary 15, 15842, In addition to his tion as a Jurist, Hopkinson was for many Y Ours president of the Philadelphia academy of fine arts, which he helped found, and vice president of the American Philosophical society which his fa- ther had helped establish. He was a writer of wide renown on legal, edu- cational and ethical subjects but he is best remembered for the patriotic song which he wrote in 1768, Conflicting stories are told as to the reason for Hopkinson writing “Hail Columbia.” According to version he wrote it In honor of President John Adams hecause of Adams’ protest against the shameful attempt of the atl Gisting one OH-—HIS BEARIN'S In a Montrose school recently a little girl “informed her teacher that an airman was flying over Montrose late the night before. “What was he doing? eacher, “Please, Miss, he hig children,” was answer, “Looking for his children!” said the :eacher, “what do you mean?" “Daddy sald he'd lost his balrns.”— cots Observer. asked his looking for unexpected wis the SIGN OF INDIFFERENCE “1 don't husband loves “Why on hat aaLd “Well, he saj he earta should you say don't mind other giris Self-Deception ou cynically sigh, val: y Bei the truth Yet most of what Is told te Is what you like to listen Watched His Man alor 3 , g . i . Warming to his task, took mt, which rather disconcerted the stewn { thought that a reportes sensation out of rds of the meeting. nake a the Towards the close, he sald “1 don't suppose you knew when youn *emoved sour coat that a sWEpaj man was present? “Yes, 1 iept my eye on the con did.” was the reply, t all the Yes, a Few Small Ones “How has your potato crop asked one ardent ama- teur gardener of his neighbor, “Splendid, old man” replied as big as as peas, and, of little ones.” A furned the marbles, course, Aappers. sther; “some are seme as big juite a lot of SCANTY AS YET “Fuse, aL She—Mars’'s buying that dress on He- Advise her not to wear it again intil she has all the Installments. 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On May '25, 1780, he wrote to the board of ad- miralty saying, “It Is with great pleas- ure that I understand my last Device of a Seal for the Board of Admiralty has met with your Honours, Approba- tion.” This seal, which was adopted May 4, 1780, had 13 red and white stripes. In a later letter he asked for compensation for his services, itemiz- ing a list of designs that he presum- ably had prepared. Among these was “the flag of the United States of Amer- fea” and “a great seal for the United States of America. with a reverse.” v" But even though it may not be possi ble to establish his right to that dis- tinction, he showed hig versatility in other ways which entitle him to re- remembrance. As early as 1774 Hop- kinson had won a name for himself by publishing an allegory in which he recounted the wrongs of the col onies and this is said to have done much to fan the spirit of revolution in all who read it. Throughout the Revolution he continued to use his gifts as a writer In & series of satires directed at the British, which were published in the newspapers of the day and attracted widespread attention, Sir William, he, snug as a flea, Lay all this time a-snoring, Nor dreamed of harm, as he lay warm In bed with Mrs. Loring. Now, in a fright, he starts upright, Awnked by such a clatter: He rube both eyes and boldly cries, “For God's sake, what's the matter? At his bedside he then espied Sir Erskine at command, sirs; Upon one foot he had a boot, And t other in his hand, sirs, “Arise! Arise!” Sir Erskine cries; “The rebels—more's the pity Without a boat are all afloat, And ranged before the city. “The motley crew In vessels new With Batan for their guide, sir, Packed up In bags, or wooden kegs, Come driving down the tide, sir, Therefore, prepare for bloody war! Those kegs must all be routed, Or surely we despised shall be, And British courage doubted.” The royal band now ready stand, All ranged In dead array, sirs, With stomachs stout to see it out, And make a bloody day, sirs The cannons roar from shore to shore, The small arms make a rattle; Since wars began I'm sure no man E'er saw so strange a battle, The rebels vales, the rebel dales, With rebel trees surrounded, The distant woods, the hills and floods, With rebel echoes sounded, The fish below swam to and fro, Attacked from every QuUArteres that country and the United States, Another version is that it was writ- ten in order “to get up sn American gpirit which should be independent of ond above the interests, passions and policy of both belligerents™ in the Great Britain, Whatever the motive back of it, it seems pretty definitely established that Philadelphia theaters went to Hop- Kinson and tried with his help to put words to a piece of music called “The President's March,” which was an ar rangement of an old German folk song. Fox had been unable to find words that would adequately express the na- tional feeling, but Hopkinson and his wife wrote such a song and Mrs, Hop- kinson played it on the clavichord. Fox sang the song in the theater, ad- vertising It as the “new federal song” and it galved instant popularity. It was not known as “Hail Columbia,” however, until it was first sung in g New York theater some time later, but for the next 16 years, until Fran. cis Scott Key's “Star Spangled Ban. ner” swept the country, it was regard. ed as the only npational song of the new republic, (@®, 1930, Western Newspaper Union.) The most production of them all Not the Only One The Installment Collector—Your xife promised me faithfully that she'd nake a payment today. Mr. Peewee—What are you kicking She once solemnly promised hat she'd obey me. His Status “1 wonder {if that Captain Spitz. 1oodle amounts to anything beneath the surface?” “1 should say so—why, he's the cap- alo of a submarine.” Choose Your Seats The court-martial was about to open, Fhe defendant leaned over and whis ered to an officer: “How long will this affair last?” The officer whispered back: “About wo hours for me and about two years ‘or you." Giddap Teacher—Tommy, what do the let. ers M, D, after a man's name signify? Tommy (at random)-Mule driver, I muppose., the bees cane along. Rarity enhances pleagure. HEN children come down sick with typhoid or summer com- plaint, which kills more than 1/5 of the children who die under five, what is the cause? Often the disease has been brought into the home by flies. Be comfortable and safe. Keep your home insect-free. Spray Flit, which is guaranteed (or money back) to be quick-death to flies, mos quitoes, moths, roaches, bedbugs and other household insects. 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Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers