THE UNCLE SAM FOUNDATION OF TROY NEW YORK
For those who love our country and want to know more about Uncle Sam.
The Uncle Sam Legacy
The Legacy of Uncle Sam.
Innocently enough, it was the first 1812 shipments of meat, known as "canned willie", to the Arsenal across the river and to the Greenbush Army Camp which spawned the name. Many of Sam Wilson's employees were now soldiers and quartered at them.
In Troy, Sam was known as uncle Sam, his brother as uncle EB and his wife as aunt Betsey.
As the war of 1812 progressed and the shipments went further away, the name took hold with the troops and became a verbal nickname.
Political cartoonist Thomas Nast had his version of Uncle Sam. Then came the version with a top hat, stars and striped pants. Whether extolled, lampooned or to illustrate conditions affecting the nation, Uncle Sam has become a national symbol. Pictures, posters, postcards and caricatures appeared by the thousands. One only need take a look at "Uncle Sam" on Ebay to see the incredible amount of memorabilia that is available to dedicated collectors.
The U.S. Dept. of State ran a competition in 1950 for an official version of Uncle Sam which was won by Mr. Herbert R. Noxon.
The 87th Congress in 1961 acknowledged Uncle Sam Wilson of Troy, NY as the progenitor of America's national symbol of Uncle Sam..
His grave site is at Oakwood Cemetery in Troy and is well marked. Uncle Sam is buried there with his wife and one son.
He is remembered every year, near his September 13 birth date, with a Saturday ceremony at the grave site and Miss Uncle Sam Luncheon at the Veterans Club. Then on Sunday with a magnificent parade in North Troy.
A previous and serious attempt to make Troy a tourist destination to honor Uncle Sam, by Gerald Czelevich, with his superior knowledge and collection of memorabilia was left to slide through our hands.
The educational and tourist value was missed by a decade of people.
This current attempt must not meet that fate.
