Robert Hanna, a settler of Scotch-Irish descent, applied in 1769 for 300 acres of land on the Forbes Road, approximately halfway between Fort Ligonier and Fort Pitt. He built a tavern which became the center of Hannastown a few years later. The act of the Pennsylvania Assembly creating Westmoreland County stated that court was to be held at the house of Robert Hanna. This was the first and last court of justice established under English law west of the Allegheny Mountains.

In March of 1773, Governor Penn of Pennsylvania formed Westmoreland County, and appointed John Proctor sheriff. William Crawford was appointed Justice of the Peace by Lord Dunmore of Virginia and was recognized as the presiding justice. On April 13, 1773 the first Court of Quarter Sessions was held at Hannastown, held in virtue of judicial authority west of the Allegheny Mountains. Lord Dunmore claimed this as his territory, and Dr. John Connolly, empowered by him, raised and armed a troop of militia and marched against the Westmorelanders, trying to compel them to obey the Governor of Virginia.

The boundary dispute with Virginia continued until the start of the Revolutionary War. Congress then successfully appealed to both colonies to achieve a peaceful settlement and concentrate their energies in the common cause against the British.

FORMULATE FAMED "RESOLVES"

When the news of the armed conflict at Lexington and Concord reached Westmoreland County, a meeting was held at Hannastown on May 16, 1775. The "Hanna's Town Resolves" were agreed upon. Although the assemblage declared itself loyal to King George III, they vowed to resist the tyrannical acts of the British Parliament and to form into military associations. One was the First Battalion of Westmoreland County, commanded by Colonel John Proctor. On a list of the 53 battalions of Associators existing in 1775, the 52nd battalion was from Westmoreland County.

The document spelled out several resolutions, as follows:

Hanna's Town Resolves

'Resolved unanimously, That the Parliament of Great Britain, by several late acts, have declared the inhabitants of Massachusetts Bay to be in Rebellion, and the ministry, by endeavoring to enforce those acts, have attempted to reduce the said inhabitants to a more wretched state of slavery than ever before existed in any state or country. Not content with violating their constitutional and chartered privileges, they would strip them of the rights of humanity, exposing lives to the wanton and unpunishable sport of licentious soldiery, and depriving them of the very means of subsistence.
'Resolved unanimously, That there is no reason to doubt that the same system of tyranny and oppression will (should it meet with success in Massachusetts Bay) be extended to every other part of America: It is therefore become the indispensable duty of every American, of every man who has any public virtue or love for his country, or any bowels for posterity, by every means which God has put in his power, to resist and oppose the execution of it: that for us we will be ready to oppose it with our lives and fortunes. And the better to enable us to accomplish it, we will immediately form ourselves into a military body, to consist of companies to be made up out of the several townships under the following association, which is declared to be the Association of Westmoreland County.
Possessed with the most unshaken loyalty and fidelity to His Majesty, King George the Third, whom we acknowledge to be our lawful and rightful King, and who we wish may long be the beloved sovereign of a free and happy people throughout the whole British Empire; we declare to the world, that we do not mean by this Association to deviate from that loyalty which we hold in our bounded duty to observe, but, animated with the love of liberty, it is no less our duty to maintain and defend our just rights (which, with sorrow, we have seen of late wantonly violated in many instances by a wicked Ministry and a corrupted Parliament) and transmit them to our posterity, for purpose which we do agree and associate together:
1st. To arm and form ourselves into a regiment or regiments, and choose officers to command us in such proportions as shall be thought necessary.
2nd. We will, with alacrity, endeavor to make ourselves masters of the manual exercise, and such evolutions as may be necessary to enable us to act in a body with concert; and to that end we will meet at such times and places as shall be appointed either for the companies or the regiment, by the officers commanding each when chosen.
3rd. That should our country be invaded by a foreign enemy, or should troops be sent from Great Britain to enforce the late arbitrary acts of its Parliament, we will cheerfully submit to military discipline, and to the utmost of our power resist and oppose them, or either of them, and will coincide with any plan that may be formed for the defense of America in general, or Pennsylvania in particular.
4th. That we do not wish or desire any innovations, but only that things may be restored to, and go on in the same way as before the era of the Stamp Act, when Boston grew great, and America was happy. As a proof of this disposition, we will quietly submit to the laws by which we have been accustomed to be governed before that period, and will, in our general or associate capacities, be ready when called on to assist the civil magistrate in carrying the same in execution.
5th. That when the British Parliament shall have repealed their late obnoxious statutes, and shall recede from their claim to tax us, and make laws for us in every instance; or when some general plan of union and reconciliation has been formed and accepted by America, this our Association shall be dissolved: but till then it shall remain in full force; and to the observation of it, we bind ourselves by everything dear and sacred amongst men.
No licensed murder: no famine introduced by law!
Resolved that on Wednesday, the twenty-fourth instant, the township meets to accede to the said Association and choose their officer.

Adopted at a general meeting of the inhabitants of the County of Westmoreland, held at Hanna's Town the 16th day of May, 1775 for taking into consideration the very alarming situation of the country, occasioned by the dispute with Great Britain.

The resolutions are recorded without the names of the signers attached, and there is no positive knowledge of who drew them up. It is strongly presumed that Arthur St. Clair was one of the main drafters, and there is little doubt of the involvement of John Proctor, Westmoreland County's first sheriff, and the Craig family (ancestors of this author).

Samuel Craig, Sr. married Elizabeth McDonald, who was born in Scotland. They became the parents of nine children. The name of Craig's second wife was Jane Boyd, of Irish birth, and they had six children. It is said that Samuel Craig and family started a trek from New Jersey to Western Pennsylvania in 1766, but when they were on the mountains the Indians stole their horses and cows, and they were compelled to return to a settlement.

In December of 1769, Samuel Craig bought a tract of land on the eastern side of the Loyalhanna in what was then called the "Derry Settlement."

In 1774 there was great alarm in the region of the Loyalhanna, and petitions asking for protection were sent to Governor Penn from different places in Westmoreland County. Among these petitions was one from the home of John Shields. It stated that the petitioners had built a small fort for the defense of their wives and families and had taken up arms for the common defense. Among the signers of this petition were Samuel Craig, John Craig, and Alexander Craig. A similar petition from Hannastown, of about the same date, was also signed by the three.

BATTALION FLAG BORE RATTLESNAKE

During this period of meetings, John Proctor must have been already designing in his mind a proper flag to be carried by the Westmoreland County battalion.

In those days, the various Associators had silk flags which bore mottoes (usually in Latin) and strange, sometimes beautiful, devices. Many of these flags were prepared by the women of the various communities.

Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania adopted a flag for its own use before the colonies had conceived the idea of a general flag for all of the American troops. This flag, the "RATTLESNAKE FLAG OF COLONEL JOHN PROCTOR'S INDEPENDENT (or 1st) BATTALION, WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA" was, according to family tradition, sewed and embroidered by 18-year-old Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel Craig, Senior. Samuel Craig, Senior was the color-bearer. The flag has been preserved and is one of the most noted and highly valued mementos of the Revolutionary War. It is the oldest banner representing what is now the United States.

According to tradition, the flag was made in 1775 from a pre-existing British standard flag and measures 76 inches by 70 inches. It is made of crimson silk and gold thread. The canton in the upper right-hand corner, known as the Union Jack, consists of individual pieces of red, white, and blue silk and forms two crosses. The red-on-white represents the English cross of St. George; the white-on-blue, the Scottish cross of St. Andrew; and the blue indicates Ireland's St. Patrick. It's interesting to note that it is on the wrong side. That could have been to show their dissatisfaction with the British rule at the time. Its very existence, however, shows that they still considered themselves subjects of the king.

In the center of the field is a rattlesnake with 13 rattles, indicative of the 13 colonies of America; the rattlesnake is coiled to strike. Below the snake, it reads: "Don't Tread Upon Me." The first two letters of the word "upon" have flaked away over the years. Unlike the rattlesnakes on other early flags, the one on the Proctor flag faces right, toward the symbol of the British Empire. Above the snake is the monogram of John Proctor and the letters "I. B. W. C. P.," Independent (or 1st) Battalion Westmoreland County Pennsylvania (or Provincials). The staff was inserted through the sleeve on the canton side of the flag and carried by the color-bearer of the battalion.

BATTALION FIGHTS IN NEW JERSEY

In the First Battalion, Westmoreland County Provincials were Samuel Craig, Sr. and his three sons Alexander, John, and Samuel, Jr. Samuel Craig, Sr. was commissioned lieutenant and color-bearer in July 1776 in Col. John Proctor's Battalion of Westmoreland County Militia. Late in 1776, the First Battalion was ordered east and participated in a number of hard-fought battles under Gen. George Washington, including the Battles of Princeton and Trenton, New Jersey. They then crossed the Delaware River with Gen. Washington. As lieutenant, Samuel Craig, Sr. was the color-bearer of the Rattlesnake Flag for Col. John Proctor's First Battalion, Westmoreland County Provincials. He carried the flag throughout these several eastern battles. The soldiers suffered great hardships in those terrible marches through almost trackless wilderness.

WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA FRONTIER

In the latter part of 1777, having been ordered back to Western Pennsylvania to protect the frontier, Lt. Samuel Craig, Sr. acted for a time in the capacity of commissary. In the performance of his duties, he rode alone to Fort Ligonier for salt, having refused a guard because "they would think the old man was cowardly," but he never reached Ligonier, as he was taken prisoner on Chestnut Ridge.

In a diary kept by Thomas Galbraith at the building of Ft. Ligonier is the following entry: "November 3rd, 1777, Monday. They likewise found a mare belonging to Samuel Craig who had been going to Ligonier for salt on Saturday, November 1st, 1777. He is supposed to be taken prisoner as his body could not be found."

In "Rebel Prisoners at Quebec 1778-1783" there is listed a Return of Rebel Prisoners at Quebec June 27th 1778. One entry is that of 'Samuel Craig, Age 50, residence Derry, Pennsylvania, taken 5 November 1777 near the Ohio.'

In the writings of Mrs. Margaret C. Craig, relating to the capture of her grandfather, is the following: "He was taken prisoner by the Indians on Chestnut Ridge, his beautiful bay mare was found dead, perforated by eight bullets. Fragments of paper were found strewn along the path, indicating the direction taken by the Indians. All efforts of his family to ascertain his fate were unsuccessful. Some exchanged prisoners reported afterward that an old man who was a prisoner with them would have been exchanged at the same time if he had not been sick and unable to travel. It may possibly have been Mr. Craig."

It was later learned that a grandson of Samuel Craig, Sr. met an exchanged prisoner who told him that Samuel Craig and he were exchanged at the same time at Montreal, Canada and that Samuel Craig died near Philadelphia when on his way home. He was fed so poorly in the English prison that he died of starvation trying to get home. On April 25, 1783 letters of administration were granted on the estate of Samuel Craig, Sr. to Jane Craig, his widow, and John Craig, his son.

"Abstract of Graves of Revolutionary Patriots" by Patricia Law Hatcher lists Samuel Craig, Sr. buried in Pine Grove Cemetery. This collection of abstracts of grave sites contains information originally published in the Senate documents of the National Society, Daughters of the American Revolution, as well as the Society magazine. Upon researching the Pine Grove Cemetery, I found that the name had been changed to Mast Cemetery, which is located near Morgantown, Berks County, PA. This would be in line with records showing that Samuel Craig, on his way home to Westmoreland Co., PA from Montreal, Canada died near Philadelphia, and although they have no burial records for Samuel Craig, there are nineteen unmarked graves. One is probably that of Samuel Craig.

FLAG PASSES THROUGH SURVIVORS

On Col. Proctor's death, the "Rattlesnake Flag" passed to the next senior officer, and so on to the last survivor, General Alexander Craig, son of Samuel Craig, Sr., with whose family it remained during succeeding generations. In 1914 it was bequeathed by his great granddaughter, Jane Maria Craig of New Alexandria, PA to the State Library at Harrisburg, PA (now Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission).

The Latrobe Advance newspaper of December 17, 1879 described Margaret C. Craig, Gen. Alexander Craig's daughter, as "well preserved at the age of 73 in 1879, medium size, full round face, clear olive complexion, dark round eyes and remarkably bright for one of her age. In speech and gesture, form and fire showed she came from a gentle race." When showing the famed and cherished "Rattlesnake Flag" to a visitor, she related in her beautiful Scotch accent with what joy her father had come from the Post Office of Dennistown (as New Alexandria was called in 1809) with the valued banner thrown proudly over his feeble arm. He had been the youngest officer in the brigade and had marched his handful of loyal-hearted soldiers under it.

WAR EXPERIENCES RECALLED

Alexander Craig entered the army of the Revolution when in his twentieth year and was an officer in Col. John Proctor's Battalion and later Lieutenant in Captain John Shield's Company. He was promoted during the war, but it is unknown to what specific rank

Gen. Alexander Craig had recorded the hardships endured by him, his two brothers, and his father during the eastern campaign under Gen. George Washington at Trenton and Princeton, New Jersey with the "Rattlesnake Flag" being carried by his father, Samuel Craig, Sr. "Rivers were waded when the waters would be breast high and ice floating. With no tents, our only covering at night would be a blanket -- if a few inches of snow would fall it would help to protect us from the winter blasts. Sometimes when we would attempt to rise in the morning, our hair was frozen to the ground."

He related some incidents of the engagement at Ash Swamp, which have been preserved among the writings of his daughter, Margaret C. Craig. "Our soldiers were so few in number in comparison with the enemy that we were compelled to fight them 'Indian Fashion' and me and my comrade had a large oak tree for protection while loading our rifles, and then rested our rifle on the shoulder of the other while firing; while engaged in this fashion, a bullet from the enemy struck the tree and flew a piece of bark into my comrade's face, causing the blood to flow freely, and another bullet cut a lock of hair from the side of my head. A superior officer came galloping up and commanded us to run as we were being surrounded by the British. I was so certain that I would be killed, that I determined that the enemy should not have the satisfaction of seeing me run, so I retreated deliberately at first, but finding that I was still unhurt, decided to run. While running, a soldier fell by my side -- a bullet having broken a leg -- and he begged us not to leave him. A Captain and I placed the wounded man on his horse, and we all escaped through the swamp, which was a considerable distance."

ACTIVE FOLLOWING THE REVOLUTION

After the Revolutionary War, Alexander Craig served in the Pennsylvania State Militia. Three of his commissions have been preserved -- one given by Governor Mifflin in 1793 for the office of Lieutenant Colonel, one given by Governor McKean in 1807 for the office of Brigadier General, and one given by Governor Snyder in 1811 for the same office.

In 1812 a letter came to Gen. Craig from Dr. Postlewaite of Greensburg, PA with the news that war had been declared with England. Gen. Craig rose, paced the floor in silence for a few minutes, then said, "I have but one son and he is too delicate to perform the duties of a soldier; I am growing old but, if my country requires my services, they shall not be withheld." He, with two other men of the same military rank, met in Pittsburgh to decide who should go, and he returned home. He outlived all the officers of Col. John Proctor's Battalion of Associators, and the "Rattlesnake Flag" of that Battalion was presented to him some years before his death. He died in 1832 at the age of 76 years.

Many antiquarians and collectors of Revolutionary relics have been wisely refused its possession, although large sums of money have been offered for it. It is properly one of the most valuable heritages of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania's past -- we trust it will continue to be preserved for the admiration and patriotic inspiration of generations yet unborn.

Mrs. Margaret C. Craig, daughter of Gen. Alexander Craig, said that during the Civil War, when John Hunt Morgan threatened to raid this section of Pennsylvania, she carefully wrapped the flag and her father's sword together and hid them away, determined that in any event, these highly prized relics should not be lost. She joined the Daughters of the American Revolution (D. A. R.) March 5, 1898 and died January 20, 1899 at the age of 94 years.

Jane Maria Craig, great grand-daughter of Alexander Craig, said that as a child, when guests came from the city, "we always showed them the flag. This was practically the only form of entertainment the town had, outside of prayer meetings." She wrote her family history in her last years. She died in 1914, at the age of 65 years.

When Jane Maria Craig moved to New Alexandria from the Craig farm, she brought the beautiful flag, wrapped in newspaper, with her. She had willed it to the state. It found its way to the attic, where it gathered dust until discovered in 1913 by Mrs. Gertrude Seanor. Gertrude, 23 years old and "a bit of a girl," was the daughter of William C. and Mary L. (Gallagher) Steele. After having bought the Jane Craig home, Gertrude, finding the package wrapped in newspaper, took it down to her parents who, having realized its great importance, had Gertrude take the flag to James Cook, where he displayed it in his drug store. The flag was then taken to the State Library at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania for safe keeping by J. C. Gibson and William Cunningham. It was with great care and pride that it was delivered there. It was later transferred to the William Penn Memorial Museum.

For Westmoreland County's bicentennial in 1973, the "Rattlesnake Flag" was transported from the State Museum of Pennsylvania at Harrisburg to Greensburg, PA (approximately 200 miles) by armored vehicle, with armed guards -- and returned to the museum the same way.

Charles G. Edwards was born and raised in Kittanning, Armstrong County, PA and a 25-year member of SAR and Past President of the Cincinnati Chapter and current Historian of the Ohio Society. He served in the United States Air Force from 1948-1952 and retired from the National Underwriter Company, an insurance trade publisher. Edwards is a member of several genealogical and historical societies. He is currently married to Mary and has two sons, Richard and Dale by his first wife.