Though he wasn’t widely recognized until long after his death, a well-known meat packer from the City of Troy is the pride and joy of Trojans today.
Samuel Wilson made his way to the City of Troy from New Hampshire in 1789. Four years later, in March of 1783, Wilson and his brother, Ebeneezer, started a meat packing business located between what is now known as Congress Street and Jefferson Street.
That company was awarded a contract to supply the United States forces with pork and beef.
“There was a place where troops gathered called the Cantonment in Greenbush, and because a lot of troops were pulled from the area they would see barrels marked U.S. (indicating United States) and knew they were coming from Samuel Wilson’s meat packing business,” said Stacy Draper, curator at the Rensselaer County Historical Society. “They would say, ‘Oh, those are Uncle Sam’s.'”
Over time, anything marked with the initials became linked with Wilson’s name, leading to the idea that Uncle Sam symbolized the United States.
“It was at a time that our nation was young and was looking for some sort of icon to represent our nation, just like the English had John Bull as a national symbol and the French had a number of other images,” Draper said. “Countries tended to have almost political cartoon images that were used.”
Draper adds that the United States had often used the female image of Liberty, but as time evolved it was Uncle Sam that began to take over.
The most famous portrait of Uncle Sam is the “I WANT YOU” Army recruiting poster from World War I.
Wilson died in 1854, but it wasn’t until after his death that he officially became an American icon.
“In the early 20th century there was a movement to recognize Samuel Wilson as the originator of the Uncle Sam symbol,” Draper said. “It took a number of years until 1961 when in September Congress passed a resolution stating that Troy’s Samuel Wilson was the progenitor of the national symbol.”
Draper said it is the connection with the City of Troy that Trojans like to celebrate.
“The fact that there really was a real person who had a very active community life, who may or may not have looked at all like the sort of iconic image of Uncle Sam which was really more the result of various cartoonists and artists who made him into that long-legged, striped pants, hat-wearing, red, white and blue symbol,” she said.
Draper adds there is no documented image of Samuel Wilson.
“He lived at a time before photography,” she said. “As far as we know there is no documented painted portrait of him.”
“Trojans are all very proud of Uncle Sam’s hometown,” said Elizabeth Young, from the Downtown Troy Business Improvement District. That is why, she said, you may see Uncle Sam statues popping up all through Downtown Troy as you drive through the city.
In April, 30 statues were unveiled in honor of Uncle Sam. The fiberglass sculptures were designed by various artists from around the region.
“We have one made of fabric, one made with mosaic tiles and another with LED lights and Play-Doh cups turned upside down,” Young said. “The community and businesses are excited about the statues. You often see them putting their arms around them and posing for pictures.”
A parade is held every September in honor of Wilson, with a visit to Oakwood Cemetery in Northern Troy where Wilson is buried.
Young said it is education and bringing the history of Troy to life that is important.
On Saturday, June 8, Rensselaer County Historical Society will help the city celebrate Uncle Sam once again with Uncle Sam Community Day.
“There will be an exhibit open where we look at the man and the legend and how the symbol evolved,” Draper said. “We have artifacts from his home, early maps and a record book from First Baptist Church where he was an active member.”
Draper said the museum would also provide a section explaining the process of how Samuel Wilson received recognition for the symbol of Uncle Sam.
“That day we will do a guided tour that lasts about an hour leaving from the farmer’s market, walking around downtown and pointing out various locations that focus on his history,” Draper said. “It’s fun to see where his business ventures were and other places that he would have been in during his lifetime.”
Draper said people usually find it fascinating when making the connection to certain key places in the community and Uncle Sam.
“A lot of people know there is a connection, but may not know the details or the fact that there really was a real person,” said Draper.
The guided tour will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 8, and departs in front of the Arts Center at 265 River St. in Troy.
The exhibit will open at noon and go until 5 p.m. at the Rensselaer County Historical Society and Museum at 52 Second St. in Troy. At 3 p.m. there will be a free Red, White and Blue Ice Cream Social at the museum where the popular Uncle Sam impersonator Fred Polnisch will be set up for a meet and greet. A printed guide to the Uncle Sam statues will also be available in the museum.
For more information, call 272-7232 or visit www.rchsonline.org.
