Uncle Sam

Thanks to  James Bullington, who sent us the question,

"Does anyone know when, how and why the name Uncle Sam started?"

James,

Although historians are not entirely certain the origin of the term "Uncle Sam," the most prevalent theory is that "Uncle Sam" was named for a man by the name of Samuel Wilson. Wilson was born on September 13, 1766 in Arlington, Massachusetts. In 1789 he and his brother Ebenezer walked to Troy, New York.

Samuel Wilson was in the business of slaughtering and packing meat, and in the war of 1812 he provided much of the meat to the United States Army. The barrels containing the meat were stamped "U.S." It is said that someone who saw the "U.S." stamp on the barrels commented, probably as a joke, that the "U.S." stood for "Uncle Sam" Wilson. Therefore, the term "Uncle Sam" became a symbolic term for the government.

Samuel Wilson died in 1854 and his grave is in the Oakwood Cemetery in Troy, New York.

Artist and political cartoonists are responsible for the image of Uncle Sam. Samuel Wilson does not look like the drawings; he was clean shaven where as the cartoons show a man with a goatee. Thomas Nast was a well known cartoonist who produced many of the early cartoons in the 19th century. Historians note that while many of his cartoons appear to portray Uncle Sam, but instead they truly depict Yankee Doodle or "Brother Jonathon." It is easy to confuse a cartoon of "Brother Jonathon" with one of Uncle Sam as they both wear a star-spangled suit. However, "Brother Jonathon" is clean shaven and often wears a feather in his cap, where as Uncle Sam has a goatee and does not.

The most famous of the pictures of Uncle Sam is the WWI Army recruiting poster, with the caption reading, "I WANT YOU." This poster was painted by James Montgomery Flagg in 1916-1917.

Thank you James, that was a very good question, and if you have others, please send them!

Jennifer Thompson, Column Editor

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The Single Mans Fruitcake Recipe

Ingredients:

*One cup water

*One cup sugar

*Four large eggs

*Two cups of dried fruit

*One teaspoon baking soda

 

Sample the whisky to check for quality. Take a large bowl. Check the whisky again. To be sure it is the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink. Repeat test by drinking another cup of whisky. Turn on the electric mixer, beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add one teaspoon of sugar and beat again. Make sure the whisky is still okay. Cry another tup. Turn off the mixer. Break two leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit. Mix on the turner. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers pry it loose with a drewscriver. Sample the whisky to check for tonsisticity. Next, sift two cups of salt. Or something. Who cares? Check the whisky. Now sift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one table. Spoon. Of sugar or something. Whatever you can find.

Grease the oven. Turn the cake tin to 350 degrees. Don’t forget to beat off the turner. Throw the bowl out of the window, check the whisky again, and go to bed.

 

U S Legacies Magazine December 2003