"Possible Pennsylvania Associators flags" Topic

I am reading Joseph Seymour's book "The Pennsylvania Associators 1747-1777".
The Associators were a quasi-official way of getting around the pacifist Quakers to form a sort of "militia". It's … complicated.
They were mainly organized by Benjamin Franklin, whom you may have heard of.

On their first muster, they had a flag per company.

Each regiment from Philadelphia, or near Philadelphia designed its own silk color, "painted", according to Franklin, "with different Devices and Mottoes which I supplied. One of the devices bore the motto "Pro Patria" and depicted "a Lion erect, a naked Scymeter in one Paw, the other holding the Pennsylvania Scutcheon", or shield."

I wonder if the "Pennsylvania Scutcheon" might have been the William Penn coat of arms.

There are a few variations on that.
Seymour quotes from Franklin's Autobiography, which were were all supposed to have read as lads, but somehow never bothered to.

I wonder if there are any more…

Oh, good heavens!
I Googled this up!

I was right!

Anyway… Washington used the Pennsylvania Associators in the Trenton campaign, even if they did not make it to the Jersey shore. They certainly tramped all over the Jersies in guerrilla campaigns afterwards.
In the field, I would certainly not feel a-historical to use this flag.

I also found this by Googling Pennsylvania Associators.

Everyone is of course familiar with the surviving flag of the
Philadelphia Light Horse

with whom my son is currently serving in Kuwait.

And. let's not forget the Hannover Associators:

John;
Joe Seymour is a fellow re-enactor and a fellow former member of the 104th Cavalry. He works in the department of heraldry for the Army. I'd say he's the SME you're looking for.

Eric

Oh, really?
Mark loaned me the book. It's fascinating.

One of the flag companies in the UK (not GMB Designs) told me that he was going to make the first Pennsylvania Associators flag that you show above, but I have not heard from him for quite awhile now. I don't recall the name of his company, alas. I think that he also makes the flags and banners that go with the Claymore Castings miniatures.

Are there any know flags for the Lancaster or York county associators? My ancestors were in both militias so it would be kind of cool to have their units in my collection of militia units on the tabletop.

Der Alte Fritze: Not that I know of for York or Lancaster county, though you might count Hanover as York county. At least, I don't know of any. My mom's side was here in York since 1732 and we are just discovering some ancestors on my dad's side who might have fought in the Revolution (still doing the research). If I ever come across anything, I'll post about it.

I would base a "This might look good" flag on any known Lancaster or York county heraldry.
Richardson's book on AWI flags ties in the Gostelowe standards with banknotes, scrip, provincial seals, etc. to give plausible state tie-in identification.
The Hanover Associators' flag, the flag in my second post, the 1st Pennsylvania flag with the lion in the net, etc are all allegorical or heraldic.

It's more likely than " on the British"!

BTW, that flag in my second post looks like a pre-Revolutionary War militia standard, with the stripes added in the canton to show revolutionary zeal.'
Or, a "protest" flag, again updated.

Being York and Lancaster counties, it could just as easily be something in German. Possibly less rude than those over mountain Irish troublemakers, but just as stubbornly anti.

My ancestors were Pennsylvania Dutch – they migrated from Germany in the 1750s, settled in Baltimore County and then moved over the border into York County and Lancaster County.

Another possible motto:
KAWANIO CHE KEETERU", which is Lenape for "This is my right, and I will defend it." This was the motto engraved into a 32 pdr owned by the Associator artillery.
Perhaps as a scroll on a field with crossed heraldic cannons?

I need to start hand painting me some flags!

Der Alte Fritz: Yep, mine as well. Anabaptists (Brethren) that migrated from Switzerland up through the German kingdoms being protected from persecution by the network of families and homes that sheltered them. Eventually they left Rotterdam on a ship called the Augusta and landed in Philadelphia. They established a farm in Bucks county for a short time but then came west and ended up in York. They've been here ever since. My great grandmother is depicted in a mural on the wall of Central Market downtown.

I migrated back east across the river because York is a big truck stop. I only come back over to visit my parents and to game with my friends :)

John: I love that motto. Very apropos for an Associator flag. I think I'll steal it if I ever do a flag for my F&I Provincials.

Break out your magnifying glasses.
Here is a contemporary illustration showing the Associators mustering to meet the Paxton boys:

EDIT Find a better image somewhere. In Seymour's book, it shows the colors flying over each company.
Two show the usual type of British regimental flag, with the Union in the canton, and something in the field.
a third shows some odd design.

And: