"Sam" was used in this country for a brief period. "The allusion,"
wrote Farmer in 1889, "is to UNCLE SAM, the national sobriquet, the
Know Nothings claiming that in a nation mostly made up of immigrants,
only native-born citizens should possess and exercise privileges and
powers" (Americanisms Old and New, p. 470). "The name," said H. F.
Reddall in 1892, "contains, of course, an allusion to 'Uncle Sam,' the
personification of the government of the United States" (Fact, Fancy,
and Fable, p. 452). A few examples may be given. In a letter dated
Randolph, Pennsylvania, July 14, 1855, a correspondent said: "I take
it for granted that you are with us heart and hand in the new movement
known as 'Know Somethings;' but I believe quite as readily recognized
under the Yankee cognomen, 'Jonathan.' The order is fully organized in
this State, and is progressing finely. All the secret organizations
therefore of this character are blended, and _E. Pluribus Unum_. The
'Sams' are going over _en masse_, and although some of our election
returns may be credited to Sam, yet I assure you that all candidates
elect are the workmanship of Jonathan. Sam is dead! Plucked up by the
roots! Buried in cotton!" (_Kansas Herald of Freedom_, August 4, 1855,
p. 4-3). On February 28, 1856, Congressman Samuel Carruthers wrote:
"I went twice (and but twice), into their [Know-Nothing] councils.
I 'saw Sam.' It took two visits to see him all over. I made them.
I saw enough and determined never to see his face again" (in H. J.
Desmond's Know-Nothing Party, 1905, p. 82). In 1858 Governor Wise of
Virginia wrote to a committee of the Tammany Society: "As to your other
motto--'Civil and Religious Liberty'--ours was saved by the Virginia
Democracy in 1855. We struck the dark lantern out of the hands of
ineffable Sam, and none now are found so poor as 'hurrah!' for him"
(_New York Tribune_, January 11, 1858, p. 2-6). In 1905 H. J. Desmond
remarked: "Those inducted into the first degree do not appear to have
been informed as to the name of the order. They were brought into
'the august presence of Sam.'... In Illinois the Know-Nothing order
split into two factions, 'the Sams' insisting upon an anti-Catholic
program and 'the Jonathans' proposing not to antagonize Catholics who
owed no civil allegiance as distinguished from spiritual allegiance to
the Pope. The Jonathans triumphed" (Know-Nothing Party, pp. 54, 103).
Exactly what the Know-Nothings meant by "Sam" is not apparent from
these extracts; but fortunately the question need not further detain us.
One more statement may be considered here. In 1882 A. S. Palmer
remarked: "SAMBO, the ordinary nickname for a negro, often mistaken as
a pet name formed from _Sam, Samuel_, ... is really borrowed from his
Spanish appellation _zambo_,.... A connexion was sometimes imagined
perhaps with _Uncle Sam_, a popular name for the United States"
(Folk-Etymology, pp. 338, 339). It may be doubted whether any one has
ever seriously advanced the notion that Sambo is formed from Sam or
Samuel, or that there is a connection between Sambo and Uncle Sam.
"This _Negre Sambo_ comes to me," wrote R. Ligon in 1657, "and seeing
the needle wag, desired to know the reason of its stirring" (True &
Exact History of the Island of Barbados, pp. 49, 50, 54). Before 1700
we read of "Sambo negro helping caring goods" (New England Historical
and Genealogical Register, XXXIV, 98). In the _Boston News-Letter_ of
October 2, 1704, an advertisement stated that "There is a Negro man
taken up ... calls himself _Sambo_" (p. 2-2). In 1716 "Sambo a negro
servant" was married to Hagar (New England Historical and Genealogical
Register, XXXVIII, 27). In the _Boston Gazette_ of July 22, 1765, "a
Negro Man named _Sambo_" was advertised as a runaway (p. 4-3). In the
_Massachusetts Spy_ of February 17, 1813, we read: "The moan of the
poor black man interrupted the sweet song of the mocking bird. We could
not distinguish all the voices that rose from the field, but the ear
caught a fragment of the poor negro's song:--The lash of the driver
forced a scream of anguish that moment from Sambo, and we heard no
more" (p. 4-2).
[91] Watson's version of 1844 is as follows: "While on this subject, it
may be as well to give a passing notice of another national name just
growing into common use--we mean the term '_Uncle Sam_,' which first
came into use in the time of the last war with England; but the cause
of its origin is still unknown to millions of our people.--The name
grew out of the letters E. A.--U. S., marked upon the army provisions,
barrelled up at Troy, for the contractor, Elbert Anderson, and implied
the initials of his name, and U. S. for the United States. In happened
that these provisions were inspected there by Samuel Wilson, usually
called, among his hired men, '_Uncle Sam_.' One of his workmen, on
being asked the meaning of the letters, E. A.--U.S., replied, archly,
it meant Elbert Anderson and Uncle Sam--(Wilson). The joke went round
merrily among the men, some of whom going afterwards to the frontiers,
and there partaking of the very provisions they had assisted to pack
and mark, still adhered to calling it Uncle Sam; and as every thing
else of the army appointments bore also the letters U. S., Uncle Sam
became a ready name, first for all that appertained to the United
States, and, finally, for the United States itself--a _cognomen_ which
is as likely to be perpetuated, as that of John Bull for old England"
(Annals of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, II, 335).
Watson's version of 1846 differed slightly from the above: "_Uncle
Sam_, is another national appellation applied to us, by ourselves, and
which, as it is growing into popular use, and was first used at _Troy_,
New York, it may be interesting to explain, to wit: The name grew out
of the letters E. A. U. S. marked upon the army provisions, barrelled
up at Troy, during the last war with England, under the contract of
Elbert Anderson; and implied his name, and U. S. the United States.
The inspector of those provisions, was Samuel Wilson, who was usually
called by the people, _Uncle Sam_. It so happened that one of the
workmen, being asked the meaning of the initials on the casks, &c.,
waggishly replied, they meant Elbert Anderson and _Uncle Sam_--Wilson.
The joke took; and afterwards, when some of the same men were on the
frontiers, and saw the same kind of provisions arriving to their use,
they would jocosely say, here comes Uncle Sam. From thence it came
to pass, that whenever they saw the initials U. S., on any class of
stores, they were equally called Uncle Sam's; and finally, it came by
an easy transition, to be applied to the United States itself" (Annals
and Occurrences of New York City and State, p. 243).
The bibliography of Watson's books on Philadelphia and New York
requires a note. In 1830 he published, in one volume, Annals of
Philadelphia, being a Collection of Memoirs, Anecdotes & Incidents of
the City and its Inhabitants from the Days of the Pilgrim Founders.
(Collation: Title, 1 p.; Copyright, 1 p.; Advertisement, pp. iii, iv;
Preface, pp. v-vii; Contents, pp. viii-xii; Annals of Philadelphia,
pp. 1-740; Appendix: containing Olden Time Researches & Reminiscences,
of New York City, pp. 1-78.) In 1832 he published Historic Tales of
Olden Time: concerning the Early Settlement and Advancement of New
York City and State. In 1833 he published Historic Tales of Olden
Time, concerning the Early Settlement and Progress of Philadelphia
and Pennsylvania. In 1844 he published, in two volumes, Annals of
Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, in the Olden Time; being a Collection of
Memoirs, Anecdotes, and Incidents of the City and its Inhabitants, and
of the Earliest Settlements of the inland part of Pennsylvania, from
the Days of the Founders. This work was copyrighted in 1843, though
the title page bears the date 1844. In the advertisement, which is
dated July, 1842, Watson says: "The reader will please observe, that
this work having been _closed in Manuscript_, in 1842, that therefore,
all reference to any given number of years back, respecting things
passed or done so many '_years ago_,' is to be understood as counting
backward _from the year_ 1842" (p. xi). In 1846 he published Annals
and Occurrences of New York City and State, in the Olden Time. In 1857
he published, in two volumes, Annals of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania,
in the Olden Time. This edition contains some matter not in the 1844
edition. Finally, in 1877, Willis P. Hazard published, in three
volumes, the Annals of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, the first two
volumes being identical with the 1857 edition of Watson's work, the
third volume an addition by Hazard. The Uncle Sam story first appeared
in the 1844 edition of Annals of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania (II,
335); and in the 1846 edition of Annals and Occurrences of New York
City and State, in the Olden Time (p. 243), though the two accounts, as
seen above, differ somewhat.
[92] In 1876 Mr. Weise gave the following account: "Among the well
known citizens of Troy in 1812, was Samuel Wilson. Being one of the
first settlers, and besides having a kind and benevolent disposition,
he won the esteem and affection of everybody in the village, and was
more generally designated as Uncle Sam than by his proper name. It is
related that on one occasion his youngest son wandered away from home
and was lost. A gentleman found him crying in a strange place, and
asked him whose boy he was, and received for an answer, that he was
Uncle Sam's boy. By this appellation the father was readily recognized
and he was returned to his parents. During the military operations
along the northern border in the war of 1812, Samuel and Ebenezer
Wilson were engaged in an extensive slaughtering business, employing
about one hundred men, and were slaughtering weekly more than one
thousand head of cattle. During this year, he and his brother received
a contract from Elbert Anderson, Jr., an army contractor, to supply the
troops stationed at Greenbush with beef, 'packed in full bound barrels
of white oak.' Samuel Wilson was also appointed at this time Inspector
of beef for the army, and was accustomed in this line of duty to mark
all the barrels of meat passing his inspection with the abbreviated
title U. S. of the United States. In the army at the cantonment at
Greenbush, there were a number of soldiers who had enlisted in Troy,
and to whom 'Uncle Sam' and his business were well known. The beef
received from Troy, they always alluded to as Uncle Sam's beef, and the
other soldiers without any inquiry began to recognize the letters U. S.
as the initial designation of Uncle Sam. A contractor from the northern
lines strengthened this impression thereafter, when, purchasing a large
quantity of beef in Troy, he advertised that he had received a supply
of Uncle Sam's beef of a superior quality. The name 'Uncle Sam,' a few
only knowing its derivation, became in a little while the recognized
familiar designation of the United States, and is now as well known
to the world as is the appellation John Bull" (History of the City of
Troy, p. 91).
Mr. Weise's version of 1891, differing somewhat from the above, is as
follows: "Among the contractors supplying the Army of the North with
provisions was Elbert Anderson, jr., who, on October 1st, advertised in
the Troy and Albany newspapers for proposals for 'two thousand barrels
of prime pork and three hundred barrels of prime beef,' to be delivered
to him in the months of January, February, March, and April, at
Waterford, Troy, Albany, and New York. Ebenezer and Samuel Wilson, who
were then extensively engaged in slaughtering cattle in the village,
contracted to furnish him a quantity of beef 'packed in full-bound
barrels of white oak.' From time to time they delivered it at the camp
at Greenbush, where the soldiers from Troy designated it as 'Uncle
Sam's,' implying that it was furnished by Samuel Wilson, whom they and
other people of the village were accustomed to call 'Uncle Sam.' The
other recruits, thinking that the term was applied to the letters U.
S., stamped upon the barrels by the government inspector of beef, began
using the appellation 'Uncle Sam' figuratively for the United States,
in the same way that the name 'John Bull' is used to designate the
English nation" (Troy's One Hundred Years, p. 76).
Mr. Weise also gave the story in his City of Troy and its Vicinity
(1886), p. 321.
[93] These of course need not be specified. In the _Boston Daily
Advertiser_ of April 12, 1902, was printed an article headed "Origin
of the Term Uncle Sam. A Story that is Vouched for by Rev. G. F.
Merriam--The Original 'Uncle Sam' House." It is in part as follows:
"Sterling, Apr. 11.--Rev. G. F. Merriam of Mt. Kisco, N. Y., who is in
Sterling as a guest of his son and daughter, told a story of the origin
of the term 'Uncle Sam,' as applied to the United States. He said a
farm in Mason, N. H., belonging to the estate of Mrs. Persis Wilson,
who died recently, and which estate he was engaged in settling, was
the birthplace and boyhood home of Uncle Samuel Wilson, who was the
original 'Uncle Sam.' The story, vouched for by Rev. Mr. Merriam, ...
is this:--Samuel Wilson was one of a family of 12 children, ... and he
and his younger brother, Edward, located when they were young men, in
Albany, N. Y., and at the time of the war of 1812, became extensive
contractors for government supplies. They were at this time well known
in the vicinity of Albany as 'Uncle Sam' and 'Uncle Ned.' The packages
of supplies when sent away to United States government supply depots,
were marked 'U.S.,' and people sometimes questioned what those magic
letters stood for. They were told that as the packages came from Uncle
Sam Wilson, they of course meant 'Uncle Sam,' and from this little
thing the name spread, until the government itself was referred to as
Uncle Sam. The farm where these men lived as boys, fell into the hands
of another brother, Capt. Thomas Wilson, and then to his son, Deacon
J. B. Wilson, who died several years since, and his widow, Mrs. Persis
Wilson, lived there until her death last winter. Rev. Mr. Merriam was
a particular friend of the family, and as executor is attending to
the sale of the property. The house contains many relics ... and many
historic articles, the sale of which, Apr. 30, will doubtless attract
many of the curiosity hunters. The original 'Uncle Sam' house is
standing, although a new house has been erected near by, and everything
is to be sold" (p. 4-6). Edward Wilson was older than either Ebenezer
or Samuel. A letter addressed in 1902 to the Rev. Mr. Merriam brought
no reply.
[94] See p. 32, note 47, above.
[95] _Albany Gazette_, October 5, 1812, p. 3-5. The same advertisement
appeared in the _Troy Post_, of October 6, p. 3-4, of October 13,
p. 3-4, and of October 20, pp. 3-4; and in the _New York Herald_ of
January 23, 1813, p. 4-4, though in the last the advertisement was
dated October 17.
I have noted several other references to Anderson. In the _New York
Evening Post_ of October 10, 1812, appeared the following: "[index]
Col. Mapes and the officers under his command, in behalf of their men,
return thanks to Elbert Anderson, Junr. Esq. for his liberal present of
100 bushels of Potatoes, 2 boxes of Chocolate, and 1 box of Tea--also,
a waggon load of Potatoes from Saml. Hobart and Stephen Striker, on
behalf of the inhabitants of Gravesend; ..." (p. 2-5). In the _Albany
Gazette_ of December 24, 1812, was printed a letter from Anderson
himself (p. 3-4):
"_Messrs. Websters and Skinners_,
"A statement having appeared in your paper, purporting to be the
substance of a declaration made by Col Thorn, that 'two or three
thousand barrels of provisions have been deposited within a mile and
a half of the Canada line.' As that statement may mislead the public
and invite the enemy to encroachments, I beg leave to state thro your
paper, that there is not more provisions deposited or left near the
line than is sufficient for the subsistence of the men there stationed
for the winter: the surplus being removed, to my certain knowledge, to
Burlington, and other places of presumed safety, and I believe the same
care and prudent precaution has been taken as respects the munitions of
war that were at Champlain.
"ELBERT ANDERSON, Jun.
"_Albany, Dec. 19, 1812._ _Army Contractor._"
[96]This statement is made in J. B. Hill's History of Mason (1858),
p. 209; but there is no record of his birth in the Vital Records of
Arlington (1904).
[97] Lucy Francis was born March 12, 1738-39 (Vital Records of Medford,
1907, p. 60), and died at Mason, December 8, 1835.
[98] For the Wilsons, see, besides the books by Mr. Weise cited above,
Hill's History of Mason, p. 209; Cutter's History of Arlington (1880),
p. 323; Vital Records of Arlington, pp. 47, 157. Edward and Lucy Wilson
had thirteen children.
[99] _Northern Budget_, September 17, 1805, p. 3-4; September 24,
p. 4-1; October 1, p. 4-2. The same advertisement, except that the
date was changed to September 24, appeared in the _Troy Gazette_ of
September 24, 1805, p. 3-4.
[100] The notice was repeated in the _Troy Post_ of October 12, 19,
and 26. The business of the firm was dry goods and groceries. In spite
of the dissolution of partnership, the advertisement of Wilson, Mann &
Co., dated May 7, 1813, appeared in the _Troy Post_ of October 12, 1813.
James Mann, who continued the business, was a son of Benjamin Mann of
Keene, New Hampshire. Several years ago I had a correspondence with
Mrs. Louise Benson, a descendant of Benjamin Mann. Mrs. Benson merely
spoke of the existence in her family of the tradition about the Wilson
story, but was unable to give me any new facts.
[101] The _Troy Post_ of June 17, 1817, (p. 3-3), contained a notice
of the marriage on June 9 of Elizabeth Wilson, a daughter of Ebenezer
Wilson, and the Rev. James Ogilvie of New York.
[102] Quoted in the _Troy Sentinel_, July 26, 1825, p. 3-4. Mr. Barton
kindly sent me the same notice copied from the _Albany Argus_ of July
29, 1825. In his Collections on the History of Albany, published in
1867, Joel Munsell quoted (II, 479), under the head of "Beef Packing
in Albany," an article taken from _Knickerbocker_ containing this
passage: "In 1830 Albany was not only a great cattle packing centre,
but the same was true of Troy, Waterford, Lansingburgh and Catskill.
Uncle Eb. Wilson was at Catskill; Perry and Judson at Albany: C. P.
Ives, Lansingburgh; and Capt. Turner at Batestown, near Troy." When
this passage was written it is impossible to say, as Munsell does not
specify the volume or date of _Knickerbocker_, a magazine which began
publication in 1833. As, however, the writer specifies the year 1830,
it is certain that his "Uncle Eb. Wilson" was not identical with our
Ebenezer Wilson; but the coincidence in name is worth recording.
[103] In the library of our Society and in that of the New York
Historical Society I have found various Troy and Albany newspapers, but
those files were very incomplete. At my request, Miss Wheeler of the
Troy Public Library searched for me the files owned by that library:
and I am indebted to her for several valuable and interesting extracts.
[104] _Troy Daily Budget_, August 2, 1854, p. 2-3. Other notices of
Samuel Wilson appeared in the Troy papers.
"[index]Died--SAMUEL WILSON, aged eighty eight years, died this morning
at his residence 76 Ferry street. The deceased was one of the oldest
inhabitants of this city. He came to Troy about the year 1793, and
consequently had resided here 61 years. He was about the last of those
termed 'first settlers.' Mr. W. purchased the lands east of the city,
now owned by Messers. VAIL and WARREN, and occupied by them for farming
purposes till about 1820. He then sold them all, except about four
acres, upon which his present residence stands. He has been one of the
most active business men of the community, and we can truly say that he
was an honest and upright man" (_Troy Daily Times_, July 1, p. 2-3).
"[index]Samuel B. Wilson, another of our oldest citizens, died at his
residence on Ferry st. hill this morning. He was about 80 or 90 years
of age" (_Troy Daily Budget_, July 1, p. 2-4). "B." is evidently a
printer's error.
"[index]_Samuel Wilson_, aged 88, died yesterday morning at his
residence 76 Ferry street. Mr. Wilson was one of the oldest inhabitants
of the city" (_Troy Daily Traveller_, August 1, p. 2-2).
"Died. On Monday Morning, Samuel Wilson, in the 88th year of his age.
His relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend his
funeral this (Tuesday) afternoon at 3 o'clock, at his late residence,
No. 76 Ferry-st." (_Troy Daily Traveller_, August, 1, p. 2-4).
"Died. In this city, July 31, Mr. Samuel Wilson, aged 88 years. Funeral
services will be held this (Tuesday) afternoon at 3 o'clock, at his
late residence, 76 Ferry st." (_Troy Daily Whig_, August 1, p. 2-6).
The hasty burial may have been due to the fact that cholera was then
raging in Troy. See _Troy Daily Traveller_, August 2 and 4.
It will be observed that in the above notices, written for the Troy
papers, there is no allusion to the Uncle Sam story. In the _Albany
Evening Journal_ of August 1, 1854, appeared the following, which I
copy from the _New York Tribune_ of August 4: "'Uncle Sam.'--The death
of Samuel Wilson, an aged, worthy and formerly enterprising citizen of
Troy, will remind those who were familiar with incidents of the War of
1812, of the origin of the popular subriequet [_sic_] for the 'United
States.' Mr. Wilson, who was an extensive packer, had the contract for
supplying the northern army with beef and pork. He was everywhere known
and spoken of as 'Uncle Sam,' and the 'U.S.' branded on the heads of
barrels for the army were at first taken to be the initials for 'Uncle
Sam' Wilson, but finally lost their local significance and became,
throughout the army, the familiar term for 'United States.' The Wilsons
were among the earliest and most active citizens of Troy. 'Uncle Sam,'
who died yesterday, was 84 years old" (p. 3-6).
The same notice was printed in the _Troy Daily Budget_ of August 2,
p. 3-3; and in the _Troy Daily Whig_ of August 3, p. 3-2. In the New
England Historical and Genealogical Register for October, 1854, was
printed the following: "WILSON, Mr. Samuel, Troy, N. Y. 31 July, _æ._
88. It was from this gentleman that the United States received the
name of _Uncle Sam_. It came in this way,--Mr. Wilson had extensive
contracts for supplying the army with pork and beef, in the war of
1812. He was then familiarly known as _Uncle Sam_ Wilson. His brand
upon his barrels was of course U. S. The transition from United States
to _Uncle Sam_ was so easy, that it was at once made, and the name of
the packer of the U. S. provisions was immediately transferred to the
government, and became familiar, not only throughout the army, but the
whole country" (VIII, 377).
[105] _Albany Gazette_, September 24, 1812, p. 1-1; October 12, p. 1-1.
The Troy papers of September and October, 1812, have been searched in
vain for this advertisement. It is of course possible that the Wilson
of the firm of Wilson and Kinnicut of Albany was Samuel Wilson of Troy,
but it would be rash to assert their identity.
The name Kinnicut does not appear in the Albany Directory for 1813,
the first published. An advertisement dated July 9, 1805, in regard to
"Fresh goods just received by Pierce & Kinnicut," was printed in the
_Troy Northern Budget_ of September 3, 1805 (p. 1-3); and in a previous
issue of the same paper occurred the name of Robert S. Kinnicut. A
notice, dated December 14, 1815, of the dissolution by mutual consent
of partnership of the firm of R. S. Kinnicut and Zebina Sturtevant was
printed in the _Albany Register_ of June 7, 1816, (p. 1-3). In the
Albany Directory for 1813 appeared the name of "Sturdivant, Zebina,
grocer" (Munsell's Annals of Albany, 1854, V. 89).
[106] The Albany Directory for 1813 contained the names of Ishmael
Wilson, laborer; Newman Wilson, teamster; Samuel Wilson, potter; and
widow Martha Wilson, teacher. Samuel Wilson was a constable in the
Second Ward. (Munsell's Annals of Albany, V. 47, 97.). Mrs. Jane
Wilson, wife of Samuel Wilson, globe manufacturer, died May 8, 1827.
(Munsell's Annals of Albany, 1856, VII, 124.) Samuel Wilson, of the
firm of James Wilson & Son, died at Schodack on August 29, 1830.
(Munsell's Annals of Albany, 1858, IX, 215).
[107] See the obituary notice of Ebenezer Wilson, p. 55, above.
[108] I am indebted to Mr. Weise for courteous replies to several
queries. He writes me: "The fact that the Wilsons received contracts
for the supply of beef to the troops encamped at the cantonment at
Greenbush, and that Samuel Wilson was an inspector, together with the
information respecting the sites of the Wilson slaughtering houses in
Troy, I obtained from old inhabitants of Troy intimately acquainted
with the two brothers." Mr. Weise adds that the notes taken by him when
preparing his various books on Troy are stored and so are inaccessible
at present.
[109] See p. 57, note 104, above.
[110] See The Trojan Sketch Book, edited by Miss Abba A. Goddard
(1846); Hunt's Merchants Magazine for June, 1846, XIV, 515-523; D. O.
Kellogg's City of Troy (1847); Hunt's Merchants Magazine for September,
1849, XXI, 298-305; John Woodworth's Reminiscences of Troy (1853,
second edition in 1860). Mr. Weise's History of the City of Troy was
published in 1876.