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Ft. Bedford Flag History1758 — In August, the British completed construction of Fort Bed ford.Fort Bedford Museum Curator Larry Yantz reports that the earlies reference in the Henry Bouquet Papers to “Fort Bedford” is dated Nov 28,1758.Yantz says, “It seems logical to assume that General Forbes or Bou quet renamed Fort Raystown, Fort Bedford, sometime between Nov 28 and Dec, 14.”The Duke of Bedford, England, sent a British flag to the fort some time after H was renamed.1776 __ The Fort Bedford flag was stolen from either the Old Fort House or the King’s House by a group of local young men. The theft is viewed to have taken place more through deviltry than patriotism at news of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, Yantz says, using information from an 1873 news article.The men gathered once a year to celebrate the flag’s capture, and its whereabouts was kept secret until the war ended.Anthony Nawgel, the last man to celebrate the event, became possessor of the flag.1819 — Anthony Nawgel died. His sister, Elizabeth Nawgel, was married to John Stiffler who died about 1797. Stiffler left two sons,George and Anthony.Anthony Stiffler became a favorite nephew of Anthony Nawgel.1821 — Anthony Stiffler married Elizabeth Catherine Claar. The couple had one daughter, Elizabeth Farber. She was appointed sole heir, and the flag became known as the Nawgel flag.The flag remained in the Stiffler family until 1917,Sometime during the late 1800s, the flag came into the possession of Sheriff Hugh “Hughey” D. Moore (1820-1892) of Bedford. The Stiffler Family History reports the flag nearly was cut into pieces and divided among its heirs,Another family report tells of an attempt to sell it and remove it from the county,1876 —.Hughey's son, Hugh D. Moore, moved to Sidney, Neb., and took the flag with him,He later moved to Wilkinsburg.A 1978 issue of the Pioneer Historical Society’s “Pioneer” tells of R, Ewing Stiffler interviewing Mrs. Arnie Moore Jessen at her Sidney, Neb., home.The interview was held in 1943 and focused on Moore’s relation to the flag.
Newspaper Details
Bedford Inquirer
Bedford, Pennsylvania, US
Fri, Apr 14, 1995
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
William B.
USA 26 Apr 2025
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