ORIGIN OF "UNCLE SAM"

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 142, 16 June 1923, Page 14

ORIGIN OF "UNCLE SAM"

HOW THE TITLE WAS EVOLVED.

The United State; i has been given many'nicknames,, such as "Brother Jonathan," "Yankee Dor idle.." and "Uncle Sam," but the lattea ■ has always been the most popular an< 1 best understood. As to its origin, saj'6 the "Pall Mall Gazette.." there has been much speculation, both as to <! he name and the familiar picture which typifies the country—the tall, lanky jVmerican with the long heard, the peculiar top hat, the flowing ' coat, arid the IcYig-tstriped trousers strapped mid'er his boots. Ac to the origin of "Uncle Sam." one story is to the effect that i:t the time of the war of 1812 there livod in Troy, N.Y., a man named, Samuel Wilson, familiarly known there abouts as. "Uncle Sam," who was employed i:s an inspector of pork and beef bough t by the Government. Among other contractors who made purchasers for ttLe -Government was one Elbert Anderson,, who, having secured a large contract ordered the cases Fo be marked with his own initials, and addressed to -the United- States. The man who did the lettering marked these packages "E. A.—U.S.," and when someone asked what the initials meant he answered-jestingly that he didn't know, unless they meant -Ell oert Anderson and Uncle Sam—meaning IDncle Sam Wilson. The joke spread first ■ in the community where Uncle Sam Wilson was' well known, and then in ■j/ider circles, until finally Uncle Sam came to stand for the United States. Whei i Samuel Wilson djed in 1864.. aged 85, an' Albany paper recalled the Uncle Sac a story, and gave it as the true origin of the sobriquet. The story is so clumsy and improbable that it may safely be iclajgsed as untrue." Another, and more probable account of the origin of Uncle Sam is that when •l r^n ent of Lio'ht Dj'aK°ons was raised in 1808 the letters U. iS. L. D.,'on their caps .was interpreted by some wag to mean Uncle Sam's Lazy Dogs. ' There is no record of the phrase Uncle Sam bemg used before 1812,, but the expression Uncle Sam's men occurred in the 'Laasingburg Gazette,"' of September, 1813 and in the "Truis American." on 7th October, 1813. The American "Daily Advertiser," of 15th August, 1816 attributed the origin of "Uncle Sam" to the letters U. S. L. D. Just "a year later the "Albany Gazette'l said it arose during the war from the letters U. to. on the soldiers' knapsacks, and . '"l^ 0™6 lnt° general use." This was in idly.