Stock Photo Description: A 1908 vintage photograph of 'Uncle Sam.' William Smith (89 years old), born in 1819, was well-known in the Catskills of New York and often portrayed himself as 'Uncle Sam.' The real Uncle Sam was also from this area: Sam Wilson of Troy, New York -- who during the War of 1812 was a meat packer, supplying meat to the troops. Each barrel of meat rations was stamped ''US,'' before it was shipped to the soldiers. The soldiers of that time equated their United States supplied rations with Uncle Sam Wilson. The story grew to mythological proportions, resulting in a somewhat fictional image of Sam Wilson emerging as the white bearded, red - white - and - blue clad symbol of America.
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