Palmyra Mitchell's Patchwork Flag

Calico Flag by Linda Frost, 1997

18-1/2" x 31"

Linda made this flag as a sample for my 1997 book

Quilts from the Civil War. 

Co-author Terry Thompson and I had found a fragile

old calico flag in the Weston Historical Museum. We couldn't get

a photo of it so we made several copies.

Linda's looks very much like the original which 

was pieced of Turkey red stripes in two prints.

Palmyra's was reversible and had tabs stitched to it.

Palmyra Mitchell's family recalled the flag's story when they donated it.

Palmyra and John W. Mitchell lived in Union Mills, a town on the banks of the Platte River, which winds through Platte County, Missouri. The town was flooded out long ago.

The Platte in Missouri is not quite "a mile wide and a foot deep" as it is along the Oregon Trail in Nebraska, but the river often claims anything built near the channel.

The only site left is a cemetery with many Mitchell

family member's graves.

During the Civil War the Mitchells held Confederate sentiments, like their Union Mills neighbors, many of whom were Kentuckians. But Missouri was a Union state and federal soldiers demanded to see the Miller's Union flag. When none could be produced the troops told them they'd be back soon. If no flag were hanging they'd burn the house.

Union troops marching by a Native American family's cabin

in Missouri. Drawing by Alexander Simplot for Harper's Weekly.

Palmyra ran to the scrap bag and found enough red, white and blue fabric to make a small flag. She quickly pieced thirteen stripes of Turkey red calico and white with a field of a large white star surrounded by thirteen smaller stars.

The flag was reversible and on the side---the edge with the stripes and not the stars--- she added two loops for hanging. When the Yankees returned the flag was on display and the Mitchells' home was spared. The loops indicate that they flew it upside down with the stars at the bottom, but the Yankees seem not to have noticed her small rebellion.

I haven't been able to find any more about Palmyra Mitchell. There are records of a John W. Mitchell in western Missouri who died in 1879 leaving a widow Pattie and children: Hattie B., Mary B., Carrie L., Alex. R., Julia.

And one who married a Syntha Mullins in May, 1852.

Linda and I are selling the model calico flag made for the book at my Etsy Shop. Click here for more information.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/BarbaraBrackmanShop

See more about the Weston Historical Museum in Platte County, Missouri.
http://www.westonhistoricalmuseum.org/Museum.html

UPDATE: Louise ran out and photographed the flag for us.

I'd forgotten how delightful it looks---even if the story is quite sad.

Anonymous found her death certificate from March 11, 1922. 

Thanks TEAM!

The death certificate tells us that Palmyra Jane died in  Edgerton (where most of Union Mills moved to higher ground.) She was born in Kentucky on May 17, 1838, and her maiden name was Palmyra Jane Read. She was about 27 when she made the flag. And the last update is that Polly Mello bought Linda's flag and we know it has an excellent home.