K. George Kratina (1910–1980)
Uncle Sam Monument Maquette, c. 1980
Plaster

This is a model for a monument to Sam Wilson, the original “Uncle Sam,” which was erected in 1980 in Troy, Rensselaer County. According to local folklore, Troy native Samuel Wilson was nicknamed “Uncle Sam.”  When the War of 1812 broke out, Wilson worked as a meat packer and made shipments to the United States Army. Rations of fresh meat were rare, and when the soldiers asked who had supplied it, “Uncle Sam” was the answer. It was joked that the “U.S.” stamped on the barrels of meat stood for Uncle Sam. The “United States” and “Uncle Sam” soon became synonymous. 

NYSM H-1983.33.1