June 11 and 25, 2023 -Historical Society Museum Displays Special Flags
The Portsmouth Historical Society museum and grounds opened on June 11tha and 25th to display two flags from the Society’s collection to celebrate Flag Day.
On display was the Society’s oldest flag that has 13 five-pointed stars. According to the family, the flag came down through Mabel Tallman’s great-grandfather Jonathan Tallman who was born in 1789. Mabel’s father (William Lorenzo Tallman) and grandfather (Lorenzo Dow Tallman) have signed the hoist. Further research is being conducted to properly date the flag. Also on exhibit was the collection’s 34-star flag. The 34-star flag was adopted with the admission of Kansas as the 34th state in January 1861. It was only in use until 1863 when West Virginia became a state. (Because the US believed that secession from the Union was illegal, no stars were removed from the flag during the Civil War
