Will The Real Uncle Sam Please Stand Up

Uncle Sam had his origins in an actual man.
  
In 1789, Samuel Wilson and his brother Ebenezer moved to Troy, New York. Eventually they became well known and earned the respect of the citizens of the community. Sam’s generosity to the children of the community eventually earned him the nickname “Uncle Sam”.
 
The brothers’ started a slaughtering business. During the War of 1812 they signed a contract to supply the U.S. troops with salted beef and pork. At the time, the meat was shipped packed in barrels and the workers would letter the barrels with the initials U.S. for United States. Using the initials wasn’t common at the time so people would occasionally ask what the U.S. stood for. One day, when one of the workers was asked, he joked that it stood for Uncle Sam.
Before long, the phrase began to appear in newspapers and eventually people began referring to government property as belonging to Uncle Sam. Yes, the Uncle Sam we have come to know as a symbol of our government was a real person.
 
The drawings of Uncle Sam never looked like Sam Wilson and they have changed over the years. In the early drawings he was clean-shaven and was dressed in black. Later he was dressed in the colors of the American flag. During the Civil War, cartoonist Thomas Nast made him gaunt and added a beard to make him look more like Abraham Lincoln. The most famous depiction of Uncle Sam, the one used on recruiting posters during World War I, was actually modeled on the artist who drew it, James Montgomery Flagg. Although there continue to be numerous variations on the image of Uncle Sam, the Flagg version can be considered the standard from which the others deviate.
 
In a 2005 community branding session, community organizers selected patriotism as our brand personality and answered “Uncle Sam” when asked what person best represents our community personality. The Fayetteville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau selected Uncle Sam as the bureau’s icon based on the brand session feedback.
 
As a symbol of American patriotism, Uncle Sam honors the commitment of the soldiers who came through our community from the Revolutionary War to today. Uncle Sam honors the patriotism of our community’s founders and our ties to the development of this nation.
Greater Fayetteville was the place where North Carolina ratified the US Constitution and local patriots signed an early declaration of independence (the Liberty Point Resolves) in 1775. Today, we are home to military base with the largest number of personnel in the US – and we are proud to call those that defend our constitution daily “neighbor.”
 

Samuel Wilson, Troy, NY

 
 

1969

 

1876

 

Cigar Box, early 1900s

 

The 1st Appearance of Flagg's Uncle Sam - 1916

 

1916 Recruiting Poster. Flagg's Uncle Sam

 
Columbiana. Female Personification of the U.S. 1916
 

1928

 

FACVB Version 2005

Uncle Sam's Grave

 
While the exact image of Uncle Sam has evolved over the years, one thing remains constant.  He is a symbol of the best ideals of the United States.  From the earliest days until today, he has stood for Freedom, Equality, and Justice. While as a Nation, we do not always perfectly achieve these ideals, Uncle Sam remains a poignant symbol and reminder of the goal and objective . . . One Nation, Under God, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for All . FROM: © www.sonofthesouth.com