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Uncle Sam was real — and he was
famous during the War of 1812
You've probably seen the red-white-and-blue-clad figure in parades on the
Fourth of July. But how did Uncle Sam come to stand for the nation's
government? You can thank a butcher in New York named Sam Wilson.
During the War of 1812, barrels with goods were stamped with "U.S." —
for "United States." In the town of Troy, N.Y., Sam Wilson was known as
Uncle Sam, and the local people began to tease him that the "U.S." stamp
really stood for "Uncle Sam."
In 1961 Congress formally recognized Sam Wilson as the inspiration for the
Uncle Sam symbol.
Source: A new book called "The American Story" is a collection of 100
stories; some are silly, some are serious and all of them tell you something
you might not have known. Excerpt published in Oregon's Mail Tribune.
famous during the War of 1812
You've probably seen the red-white-and-blue-clad figure in parades on the
Fourth of July. But how did Uncle Sam come to stand for the nation's
government? You can thank a butcher in New York named Sam Wilson.
During the War of 1812, barrels with goods were stamped with "U.S." —
for "United States." In the town of Troy, N.Y., Sam Wilson was known as
Uncle Sam, and the local people began to tease him that the "U.S." stamp
really stood for "Uncle Sam."
In 1961 Congress formally recognized Sam Wilson as the inspiration for the
Uncle Sam symbol.
Source: A new book called "The American Story" is a collection of 100
stories; some are silly, some are serious and all of them tell you something
you might not have known. Excerpt published in Oregon's Mail Tribune.
