37 Star U.S. Flag laid upon President Lincoln's casket in Philadelphia, PA 1865.
On April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated by a Southern sympathizing prominent actor, John Wilkes Booth. He was from a respected family of America's best stage actors. He committed this act in revenge for the Northern triumph over the South during the American Civil War. A shocked and stunned country embraced their martyred President as never before. This flag and other artifacts from the period of Lincoln's funeral help tell the story of the nation's respect and admiration for the President who had guided the country through a most terrible war.
Abraham Lincoln's funeral was a process rather than an event, and crowds flocked to railroad stations and sidings all along the route from Washington D.C. to Springfield, Illinois. Mementos such as flags from the Lincoln assassination and funeral are quite rare, less than 70 are known to have survived, due to the fragile ephemeral nature of textiles. They are silent survivors from that national event.

This 37-star U.S. flag is such a memorial piece related to the funeral of Abraham Lincoln. The hand-written text under flag reads:
"Washington DC November 2 1922.
This is to certify that this silk flag 16 "X 25 ½"with 2 - 1iX16i = Red, White + Blue streamers. Now in possession of Anton Heitmeuller was draped on the coffin of the President Abraham Lincoln in Philadelphia, Pa. in Independence Hall, April 21, 1865 and was presented to my mother, Mrs. Caughlin by Joe Strong, the Guard."

Although the 37 star flag would not become official until 1867, it was common practice in 19th century America to add stars to the flag prior to the official date of entry, July 4th. These "Anticipatory Flags", made in anticipation of statehood, were common in the 19th century when the number of stated in the Union was dynamic/ Regardless of Congressional action, flag makers made and sold starfields that included new states. Additionally, obsolete star counts continued to be sold as long as the were in inventory. Thus, at the time of Lincoln's funeral there were 33 ,34, 35, 36 and 37 star U.S. flags in circulation.

Research continues on the names mentioned on the provenance. The "Anton Heitmeuller" referenced on the note accompanying the flag is Anton Henry F. Heitmuller (1859-1943) the noted Washington DC art dealer, antiquarian and Lincoln expert. Heitmuller collected Lincoln artifacts for 50 years, from 1890 to 1940.

The exact identities of Mrs. Coughlin and her daughter Anna Cooper remain unknown due to the common nature of those surnames. The guard, Joe Strong also remains only partially identified. There are multiple Joseph Strongs listed in the Union Army in April of 1865 as listed in the U.S. National Park Service's Soldiers and Sailors Database.


Exhibition History:
(ZFC0276) Moraga Room Flag Label - January 2003
Special Memorial Day Display
Flags on Easels in the Moraga Room and Moraga annex

Presidio of San Francisco Officers Club
Memorial Day 2003

Chicago Meeting December, 2003
(ZFC0276)

University of California - Santa Cruz
Board of Councilors Meeting, Rare Flags Exhibit
Santa Cruz, CA
7 June 2012

The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Library
LIFE AND TIMES OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN
The Exhibit
Simi Valley, CA
1 June 2014 to 30 September 2014

Appomattox Court House National Historic Park
150th Anniversary of the Surrender at Appomattox
Appomattox, VA
March 2015 to Summer 2018

Provenance:
Funeral viewing of President Abraham Lincoln, Independence Hall, Philadelphia, PA, 21 April 1865.
Mrs. Cahghlin, until conveyed to daughter.
Mrs. Anna Cooper, until conveyed to Anton Heitmeuller.
Anton Heitmeuller, 2 November 1922 until his death 21 September 1943
Anonymous collector(s) until 1996
Sold via Greg Martin Auctions, San Francisco, CA to Zaricor Flag Collection, 1996.


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