The image of "Uncle Sam," one of America's most recognizable cultural icons, was originated by Thomas Nast, a nineteenth-century political cartoonist.
The actual name/persona of Uncle Sam is thought to have come from Sam Wilson, a meat supplier to the U.S. Army in the early 1800s. The "U.S." stamp on his crates prompted someone to joke that it stood for "Uncle Sam".
Nast also originated another, though lesser-known, political caricature: "Brother Jonathan," or Yankee Doodle, sported a cap with a feather and, unlike Uncle Sam, was always depicted as clean-shaven.
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