Philadelphia Gets Back Missing Letter Signed by Betsy Ross
A rare document, dated 1776 and bearing the signature of Colonial flag maker Betsy Ross, has been returned to city archives after a mysterious absence of more than 20 years, officials said Friday.
Register of Wills Ronald Donatucci said the document--a letter of administration signed by Ross after the death of her first husband, John Ross--was probably stolen from unsecured city archives in the 1950s.
The city first learned the document, which has been appraised at $50,000, was missing when it was spotted in a Sotheby’s auction catalogue earlier this year, Donatucci said.
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