uncle sam my story by fred polnisch

8/7/2019 Uncle Sam My Story by Fred Polnisch

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UncleSam,My Story-


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Dedicated to my loving wife, Marian, who supported andencouraged me through all my ventures as Uncle Sam.Marian took nearly all the photographs in the book, plusmany, many more. We are greatly blessed by our family whoprovided much encouragement:

Our daughter Doris inspired me to become a storytellerand tell the story of Uncle Sam to schoolchildren; itis thebasis of this book.

Our son Fred suggested I wrrte books about Uncle Samto solidify patriotism to the schools I'1isited.

Our son Jim and his wife, Suzv, reviewed this book andprovided excellent editorial comments.

Our grandchildren: 'aLasha. TIffany, Katrina. andBrittany for their enthusiasm in my being Uncle Sam.Many thanks to John Musco of Studio 59, 59 113th Street,Troy, NY for the cover and "I Want You- photographs.Thanks also to Fred Antico for bis touch-Up artistry on severalphotographs and to -Jce Connors fOT his promoting Uncle Samthroughout the Troy area.Special thanks to Norma & John of Fatone s Gift & CoffeeShoppe, 75 4th Street, Troy for allowing Uncle Sam torearrange their Shoppe to be photographed wtth the barrel.

This book is based on Uncle Sam's:"Our Star Spangled Uncle Sam"

Presented to schools In the Troy, NYarea,and in Texas, California Guam and Saipan;And to veterans, teachers, and Rotary Clubs.Visit Uncle Sam's website at:

http://[email protected]: America's motto:

IN GOD WE TRUST
http://www.unclesamcenter.com/http://www.unclesamcenter.com/


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Uncle Sam,My Story

The Story of Uncle Sam inAmerican History

20'001FJP'olnisch

Uncle Sam,Artistsg , Laurel Oak Lane

Clifton Park, NY 12065


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When I was a boy I lived on afarm near Boston, Massachusetts.Together with brothers andsisters Ihelped with the chores.My Dad and older brothers wereMinutemen; they worked on thefarm but at a minute's notice theywere ready to fight the British.Hard feelings existed between theBritish and us because the Britishsoldiers had taken over Bostonand prevented food and othersupplies from entering the city.On the 18th of April in 1775

Paul Revere came riding past ourfarmhouse to warn us,"The British are coming."

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Then early the next morningour War of Independence, theAmerican Revolution, began inLexington, Massachusetts with"The shot heard'round the world."

Minutemen were fighting theBritish at Lexington, Concordand then at Bunker Hill thatwe might be free.A fewmonths laterGeorge Washington becamethe General of our Army inCharleston, across the river

from Boston.Cambridge- not Charlestown

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Ayear later theDeclaration of Independencewas signed on July 4, 1776.Thomas Jefferson wrote thesefamous words,"'Wehold these truths to be self-evident (clear ): that all menare created equal, that they areendowed (furnished) by theirCreator (God created us andfurnished us )with certainunalienable (absolute) rights,that among these are life, liberty,and the pursuit of happiness."


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Our War of Independencewas being fought throughoutthe thirteen colonies. So theContinental Congress decidedthat we needed one flag to unifyour army. On June 14, 1777, theyagreed that the flag of thethirteen colonies consist ofthirteen red andwhite stripes;and that there be thirteen whitestars in a field of blue.This flag with the thirteen.stars in a circle is known as the

Betsy Ross flag and we nowcelebrate June 14 as Flag Daywith parades and other events.


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Wewon our independence andthe British surrendered to GeneralWashington at Yorktown, Virginia.When the British surrendered, oursoldiers played,"Yankee Doodle went to towna-riding on a pony;Stuck a feather in his hat

and called it macaroni ..."This song was written manyyears earlier by a British doctor atFort Crailo, Rensselaer, NewYork.He wrote the song to poke fun atour poorly dressed soldiers, but

instead it became a rallying songin our fight for independence.


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GeorgeWashington becamethe first President of our newcountry and many people werecoming to America to be free.Our country was growing so mybrother and I walked to Troy,NewYork and started a business.We packed salted meat in barrels.Business was so good myMom and Dad and brothers and

sisters moved to Troy . My niecesand nephews worked for me andI became known as Uncle Samto my workers and tothe people of Troy.


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~ s S A C H U S E T T STROY IAlbanyI BostonH" UD t-s T0N I e a N N E C T . RHOI C U T I IS.

R lIVER

NEWNEW HAM P S H IRE

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President Washingtonserved two terms and in hisFarewell Address to the Americanpeople he said,"Beunited! BeAmericans!Observe good faith and justicetowards all nations."It was said of George

Washington that he was,"First in war, first in peace andfirst in the hearts of hiscountrymen! IIThree new states were addedto our country while Washingtonserved as President: Vermont,

Kentucky and Tennessee.

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. .

My business grew during thepresidencies of John Adams"Thomas Jefferson and JamesMadison. Our second war withBritain was started while JamesMadison, our fourth President,was in office. It was called the"War of 1812" .I sold barrels of meat to ourgovernment and wrote US on the

barrels that were for our soldiers.When one of my workers wasasked what the US stood for, hemade ajoke of it by saying,"The USstandsjor Uncle Sam."The soldiers repeated the jokewherever the barrels of meat weretaken.16


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The British tried to win thewar so they captured and set fireto Washington, DC.They thensailed their ships up theChesapeake Bay to Baltimore.They captured Francis Scott Keyalong the way and he became awitness to the battle of FortMcHeriry. The Fort protectedthe city of Baltimore. The battlebegan during the day and lastedall through the night. And" ...by the dawn's early light ..."our flag was still flying.Wewon the battle andFrancis Scott Key was set free.We won the War of 1812.


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Francis Scott Key returned toBaltimore and wrote the wordsto a song which became ournational anthem -"The Star Spangled Banner."The Star Spangled Banner hadfifteen stars and fifteen stripes.After the War of 1812Congress decided that the numberof stripes should only be thirteen

representing our thirteen originalstates and that there should beone star for each state in the fieldof blue. We now have fifty stars inour flag.

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Betsy Ross

Star Spangled Banner

Stars and Stripes


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As a result of the War of 1812the United States gained a newsymbol -- Uncle Sam.* NewYork City newspapers in1813 began to use the name of"Uncle Sam" when referring to theUnited States Government.

* When President AbrahamLincoln was in office I was given abeard similar to his.

* I became famous duringWorld War 1when Iappearedon Army recruiting posters,I WANT YOUFOR U.S. ARMY

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I WA,NIYOUF 'ORU.S . ARMY


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The 87th Congress of theUnited States in 1961 adoptedthe following -"Resolved that the Congresssalutes "Uncle Sam Wilson"of Troy, NewYork as theforefather of America'sNational symbol ofUncle Sam."

The Uncle Sam monumenthonoring "Uncle Sam Wilson"is located in Troy, NewYork,"The Home of Uncle Sam."


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On the second Sunday of SeptemberTroy (Lansingburgh), New York celebrates"Uncle Sam" Wilson's birthday with a hugeparade.

Amemorial service is held for "Uncle Sam"Wilson at Oakwood Cemetery in Troy the daybefore the parade.

uncle sam my story by fred polnisch

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