By the outbreak in the American Revolutionary War in 1775, the Rosss were struggling financially and so John Ross joined the Pennsylvania militia; he was killed in January 1776. Following his death, Betsy Ross joined the "Fighting Quakers" which, in contrast to classic Quakers, supported the war effort. It was through this time just after her husband death that Betsy Ross according to her loved ones history, that she met with George Washington and two signers in the Declaration of Independence, George Ross and Robert Morris, at her upholstery company to discuss the sewing in the initial United states flag.