Anyway, there is no mystery as to where we got our alternative version of Holmes story. We never see our version as the final word and whenever possible we offer links and sources. Checking the article, it appears that Holmes wrote is own version of the origin of his poem "Old Ironsides" and it is appended to one of the editions of his collected poems. The sources are listed at the end of the article.
http://www.seacoastnh.com/ussconstitution/index.html
http://www.seacoastnh.com/arts/please051698.html#topopage

"The unconquered and unstricken flag" that went down with the Bon Homme Richard was the same one which the girls of Portsmouth made from slices of their best silk gowns, and presented to Jones to hoist on the Ranger, July 4, 1777. On relinquishing command of the Ranger in 1778, he kept his flag with him, and used it at L'orient when he "broke his pennant" to commission the old Richard. It was made by a "quilting party" according to the specifications which Jones furnished. The thirteen white stars in the "New Constellation" were cut from the bridal-dress in which HELEN SEAVEY had been wedded in May 1777, to a young officer of the New Hampshire Line. Of the "quilting party" who made the flag we can find but five names: Mary Langdon, Caroline Chandler, HELEN SEAVEY, Augusta Pierce and Dorothy Hall. This was the first edition of the Stars and Stripes that Europe ever saw, the first to be saluted by the guns of a European Naval power, but far beyond that, and beyond anything, it was the first and the last flag that ever went down or ever will go down flying on the ship that conquered and captured the ship that sunk her." (There may be errors or mistakes in this quote. This account was copied in long hand in about 1915; was typed as an attachment to a letter (with many corrections and apparent errors) in 1922; and I received a scan of the letter a few weeks ago.)

I would very much appreciate your analysis of this account from Buell's book. As a descendant of the two Seavey's who arrived in Rye, New Hampshire from Devonshire, England, in about 1631 and 1640, I am very interested in historical accounts which mention my ancestors. I am especially interested in Helen Seavey, a member of the "Quilting Party", and from whose wedding dress were cut the 13 stars for the flag. I have a very extensive data base of Seavey's, including at least a half-dozen Helen Seavey's, but none who would have been a young woman (perhaps 18-25) in 1777 when the flag was made. There is an E-mail list of Seavey Genealogy Researchers with over 95 members. One had heard of the story, but could not find the Helen referred to. None of the others had heard of the story, and none could identify a Helen Seavey who fit the years. Of course, Seavey could have been her married name which would necessitate identifying the "young officer of the New Hampshire Line" who the account identifies as her spouse. If the account is accurate, I would appreciate any available information that would help me to identify Helen Seavey or her spouse. If you are unable to assist me in this matter, I would very much appreciate being referred to an organization or person who is familiar with this part of Admiral Jones history.

My Ancestral Line: Thomas Sevy; V M Sevy; Thomas Sevey; George Washington Seavey; George Washington Seavey; Joseph Seavey; George Seavey; William Seavey; Benjamin Seavey; Thomas Seavey, the Immigrant from Devonshire, England.
PS: I obtained this E-mail address by doing an Internet search for "John Paul Jones."
Thank you.
Tom Sevy of Salt Lake City, Utah
sevy99@deseretonline.com

EDITOR'S REPLY: Your transcription of Buell is accurate which we wish we could say of Buell himself. According to JPJ biographer Elliot Morison, a good deal of what Buell wrote in his 1900 2-volume story of Jones like is pure fabrication. No documentation exists here in Portsmouth, NH that we have been able to find to support the fascinating and often told story of the Party. Buell is also responsible for the fabricated letter about the qualities of an officer and a gentleman that helped Jones gain his honorary title as "father of the American Navy," tales of Jones at Valley Forge, owning his own farm in Virginia, etc. The irony is that Jones body was discovered in Paris in 1905, just a few short years after the publication of Buell's bio. Thus it became the source of scores of other biographies that appeared in the resulting "Jones fever" when the Scottish naval here, long ignored by the US government, was shipped to America and entombed with great ceremony at Annapolis. These stories were spread more widely when Jones was adopted as the commanding spirit of Teddy Roosevelt's new Great White Fleet. We have a picture of WWI navy men in battle that bears the caption "The Spirit of John Paul Jones." Little children wore Paul Jones middie outfits that they purchased from magazine ads of the era. The result was that Buell's tales became embedded into American folklore at a time when patriotism was more important than historical accuracy.

Still we are fascinated about what truth may lie at the core of the legend. The story is largely responsible for saving the 1758 Purcell House (just outside our office window) from destruction in 1917. A plaque commemorating the Quilting Party was dedicated by a local women's group and placed on what is now the John Paul Jones House Museum in Portsmouth, NH in 1913. When the house was threatened with destruction, locals got together and created the Portsmouth Historical Society to save the building which has been open to the public now for 80 years. There are still Seavey families living in the area and two local islands with that family name (including the one that contains part of "America's oldest naval shipyard" here in Kittery). It would be great if others could help raise the funds to research the genealogy of the girls in the Quilting Party. Interesting Widow Purcell had, we believe, seven daughters living at the time John Paul Jones reportedly stayed at the house in 1777 and we've always been curious as to whether they actually form the core of the legendary sewing team. The research should also look into the possible design of the flag that might have been displayed on the Ranger in 1777. Was it the so-called Serapis flag issued this year on a stamp by the US Postal service as the John Paul Jones flag? Did Jones carry the Ranger flag to the Bon homme Richard which reports say sunk with its colors flying, or did Jones recapture that flag and use it then again on the Serapis? Did Ben Franklin as some assert actually design the Serapis flag as an alternative to the Grand Union flag which others say was on the Ranger?

Why not start help your organization set up a fund for this research in honor of Helen Seavey? Fact or fiction, this would be a grand way to honor this Seacoast name. Give us the word and we can bring the idea up at the next meeting of the Portsmouth Historical Society. And thanks for your great question.
http://www.seacoastnh.com/poems/ranger.html
http://www.seacoastnh.com/arts/please052000.html

As an Australian I am not at all familiar with research into African Americans in Connecticut and I was wondering if you could kindly either give me the name and contact of a researcher who may be helpful and I could pay to assist me, or if there are some resources I could plug into to help reduce the amount of time I need to work on this research. i would be very grateful if there were any clues links you could forward to me I can be contacted through this e mail address.
Gina Pinkas
gpinkas@hotmail.com

EDITOR'S REPLY: We've forwarded your note to historian Valerie who is in the midst of a summer research project. She will forward any commendations privately. And don't forget to check out Black History Hotlinks which contains sites that focus on New England black history. Dig deep and you may find gold. Good luck with your research. We're proud to have been of help.
http://www.seacoastnh.com/blackhistory/hotlinks.html