Early American 46 Star Flag

In the year of 1913, the Mexican Revolution was raging. Men like the rebel General (and bandit) Francisco Pancho Villa, Brigadier General John Joseph (Black Jack) Pershing, Brigadier General George C. Fox, and Private A.L. Keeler of the Lackawanna National Guard played a very important part indirectly and directly in the history of Erie County and the City of Lackawanna. In that year in order to obtain supplies for his troops Pancho Villa’s men crossed the United States borders raiding towns in Texas and New Mexico. The people were enraged of these frequent raids across the U.S. borders of Texas and New Mexico. General Pershing was ordered to form a military expedition against the bandits. Part of his army was the Lackawanna National Guard stationed at the Buffalo Armories. Among these men was the then Brigadier General George C. Fox and Private A.L. Keeler. In the battles that followed, Private A.L. Keeler was one of the few Americans killed in action. As he was the first American, there were no proper ceremonies at that time. It was General Pershing who ordered his own battle flag to be placed on Private Keeler’s casket. You can see the original flag of 46 Stars which was originally flown for the first time on July 4, 1910 over the Capital prior to it being General Pershing’s battle flag against Pancho Villa. This flag and the flags used by Colonel Theodore Roosevelt, and at that time Lieutenant (Black Jack) Pershing during the Spanish American War (1898), and the assault upon San Juan Hill in Cuba can be seen at the Erie County Fair, Public Service Building (#46 on the map – Avenue of Flags). Prior to his service in the National Guard, Mr. A.L. Keeler was a farmer in Erie County. Upon his death, the family donated the farm to Erie County. Part of the farm is now the present Erie County Fair Grounds.