Uncle Sam was based on a real person—at least, according to the government-sanctioned version of the symbol’s history. His name was Sam Wilson (yes, like The Falcon, Captain America’s ...

For 28 years Uncle Sam perched morosely in his tree while he and Elmer Kenerson grew old. Even after his job as park superintendent was abolished in 1925, the man took stale meat to the eagle ...

During the War of 1812, Willson provided barrels of meat to American troops, stamped “U.S.” The story goes that when a soldier asked what the letters stood for, he was told, “Uncle Sam Willson.