Uncle Sam and Brother
Jonathan: Salesmen
1876 - 1900
"Brother
Jonathan celebrates the American centenary at the Philadelphia World's
Fair of 1876."

Uncle Sam and Columbia Host the 1893
Chicago World's Fair
By Doug Boilesen 2023
Uncle Sam and Brother Jonathan
"Uncle Sam" as a personification
for the U.S. government is cited in a March 24, 1810 journal
entry by Isaac Mayo, then a Navy midshipman. Here is the museum's
transcript: weighed anchor stood down the harbour, passed Sandy
Hook, where there are two light-houses, and put to sea, first and
second day out most deadly seasick, oh could I have got on shore
in the hight [sic] of it, I swear that uncle Sam, as they call him,
would certainly forever have lost the services of at least one sailor.
(Isaac Mayo - Wikipedia).
This goes against the traditional
story that "the term “Uncle Sam” referred, at first, to a businessman
in Troy, New York, Samuel Wilson, who was affectionately known as
“Uncle Sam” Wilson. That story was apparently so persuasive that
in 1961 Congress passed a resolution in 1961 that recognized “Uncle
Sam” Wilson as the namesake of the national symbol. (1)
I'm going with the Isaac Mayo transcript.
Either way, "Uncle Sam,"
meaning the United States, began appearing in newspapers from 1813
to 1815 and Brother Jonathan soon appeared. (Ibid.)
Brother Jonathan
In an Atlas Obscura article
by Adee Braun, July 4, 2019 (originally published July 3, 2017)
titled "Before
America Got Uncle Sam, It Had to Endure Brother Jonathan"
Braun wrote that Brother Jonathan was "brash, bold, and
bigoted, he made for an uneasy national mascot."
Brother Jonathan was a rustic
New Englander who was depicted at various times on stage as a
peddler, a seaman, and a trader, but always as a sly and cunning
figure. He began to show up in political cartoons in newspapers
and magazines during the early part of the 19th century as new
and cheaper printing methods developed. It was at this point that
American cartoonists transformed Brother Jonathan from a figure
of derision into one of patriotic pride. Ibid.

"Uncle Sam sick with la grippe."
Lithograph by Edward Williams Clay, New York : Printed & published
by H.R. Robinson, 1837. Uncle Sam in chair sick from government
financial failures. Brother Jonathan is outside talking to Doctor
Biddle with some Bonds being delivered in the box (Biddle's Pennsylvania
State bank was buying bonds to shore up banking community). This
is the lithograph which Adee Braun referenced in her article as
the only example in which Brother
Jonathan (outside window on left) and Uncle Sam appear together.
(Ibid. "Before
American Got Uncle Sam...") and (Library
of Congress).
An article in the Tulare County
Times, January 5, 1878 explained the history
of Brother Jonathan was based on George's Washington's
reliance on Connecticut Governor John Trumbull during the Revolutionary
War. The by-phrase "We must consult Brother Jonathan"
resulted in Brother Jonathan becoming "a designation
for the whole country, as John Bull has for England."
It's also clear from other 1878 newspaper
references that Brother Jonathan in 1878 was still a respected figure
and a symbol of America. But in popular culture Jonathan's role
had changed since the Civil War and he morphed into the primary
symbol of the United States, Uncle Sam.
In a syndicated newspaper article
reprinted by The Wynadott Herald, September 26, 1878
titled American
Nicknames it was noted that
"A native American can not receive a higher compliment than
to be styled Brother Jonathan;" This article then explained
the origin of Brother Jonathan's name as was for some reason being
retold in many other newspapers throughout 1878.
The Wisconsin State Journal
(June 26, 1878, p. 1) complimented Brother Jonathan's abilities
in international commerce, noting "he
will always keep his end level, in international commerce."
In 1878 the morphing of Brother Jonathan
into Uncle Sam was also being observed internationally. England's
Central Somerset Gazette noted in their September
28, 1878 issue that "To the European who has studied
Brother Jonathan through the medium of Sam Slick or the broad
caricatures of Yankee Hill, it is a somewhat startling revelation
that the young man who was once Brother Jonathan, but has
now become Uncle Sam...

An 1873 cartoon showing
Brother Jonathan with an American Eagle wounded by “Mormons, Indians,
Credit Noblier, and general dishonesty.” LIBRARY OF CONGRESS/LC-USZ62-687711873
and Atlas
Obscura
The scheming and less flattering
Brother Jonathan was depicted in an 1886 cartoon in the conversation
between Mrs. Britannia and Miss Canada about unification:
Mrs. Britannia.—“Is
it possible, my dear, that you have ever given your cousin Jonathan
any encouragement?”
Miss Canada.—“Encouragement!
Certainly not, Mamma. I have told him that we can never be united.”

A Caricature History
of Canadian Politics by J.W.A. Bengough, Vol. 1&2, Toronto:
The Grip Printing & Publishing Co., 1886
Uncle Sam and Brother Jonathan:
Salesman 1876 - 1900
This time period was chosen and the
"salesmanship" role because of the invention of the phonograph
in 1877 and because by the end of the century Brother Jonathan had
largely disappeared.
It's clear from the hundreds of illustrations
and covers of magazines like Puck and Judge that Uncle
Sam in the 1870's to 1900 was the recognized symbol and personification
of the United States government and political matters. Brother Jonathan
originated as a regionalist Yankee and had made his name as someone
who got results if there was a problem.
But the civil war changed everything
and a symbol of the federal government took on a new importance.
Post civil war Uncle Sam was the federal government personification.
Post civil war Brother Jonathan was more of a social character and
an ambassador. Brother Jonathan is seen in more social settings,
and perhaps more focused in trade and commerce, promoting U.S.A.
consumer interests and products (although in more of these salesman
roles the "salesman" would increasingly be identified
as "Uncle Sam."
There is an interesting distinction
of roles identified in a Wikipedia
article
which cites an article in the 1893 The Lutheran Witness
(December 7, 1893 "A Bit of Advice" The Lutheran Witness p. 100)
providing the following role clarification for the same person:
Brother Jonathan
and Uncle Sam were different names for the same person: "When
we meet him in politics we call him Uncle Sam; when we meet him
in society we call him Brother Jonathan. Here of late Uncle Sam
alias Brother Jonathan has been doing a powerful lot of complaining,
hardly doing anything else."
I see some truth to that. But I think
Brother Jonathan is also important because Brother Jonathan was
part of popular culture and a symbol of the United States. Uncle
Sam was redefined, Brother Jonathan disappeared, and most people
don't know that he had even existed.
Columbia and Liberty were also symbols
of America and were seen with Uncle Sam or Brother Jonathan supporting
whatever role they were playing. Columbia, as the namesake of the
Columbia Phonograph Company, of course has her own story.

Brother Jonathan Promoting Mrs.
Pott's Sad Irons
Since this is a Phonographia scrapbook
the first example of "salesman" by Uncle Sam/Brother Jonathan
has a connection with the phonograph.
In that phonograph connected advertisement
an unidentified Uncle Sam/Brother Jonathan is promoting Mrs' Potts
Sad Irons in Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, June 1,
1878. Brother Jonathan/Uncle
Sam is shown turning the crank of an Edison phonograph which delivers
a message to the Czar that 1000 Sad Irons have been sent with more
coming. There are other illustrations in Frank
Leslie's from 1875 - 1878 which
identify Uncle Sam by name but this ad doesn't. (2)

Frank Leslie's Illustrated
Newspaper advertisement for Mrs. Potts' Irons, June 1, 1878.
Another Mrs. Pott's Sad Irons trade
card circa 1878 (possibly released during or shortly after the Philadelphia
World's Exposition of 1876) shows Miss Columbia ironing Brother
Jonathan's hat with her Mrs. Potts' Sad Iron. Miss Columbia addresses
the figure in the kitchen as "Brother Jonathan." His chin
is very pointed (possibly a short pointed beard in contrast to Brother
Jonathan commonly being clean shaven). His coat with the stars and
his pants with the stripes reveal the morphing of Brother Jonathan
with Uncle Sam taking place. Brother Jonathan's profile seems similiar
to the 1873 cartoon of Brother Jonathan with his short beard talking
to his beaten-up bird of freedom ("A Badly Used Bird").
I believe this Miss Columbia in the
Kitchen trade card promoting Mrs. Potts' Sad Iron where he is identified
as Brother Jonathan, the popular culture opinion of still having
respect of "being styled Brother Jonathan," and his association
with international trade in 1878 each add weight to the identification
of the figure turning the phonograph crank in the Mrs. Potts' Sad
Iron ad of June 1, 1878 as being Brother Jonathan.

Miss Columbia and Brother Jonathan
in the kitchen with Mrs. Potts' Cold Handle Sad Iron. Sold by Burditt
& Williams, Boston, Mass. circa 1878. The 1876 Philadelphia
Exposition World's Fair displayed Mrs. Potts's cold handle sad iron
and they would also be popular at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition.

Back of Miss Columbia
in the Kitchen and Why Trade Card.
Examples of Uncle Sam and Brother
Jonathan in their Promotional Roles
More illustrations do start portraying
Uncle Sam by name in respective trade cards in the 1880's but in
1876 Brother Jonathan was respected and standing on his own as a
representative of the United States as seen in the
Centennial International Exhibition of 1876 held in Philadelphia
and the first "World's Fair" in the United States.
Brother Jonathan celebrates the American
centenary by straddling the towers of the main building at the Philadelphia
World's Fair of 1876. Printed by Currier & Ives, c1876. LIBRARY
OF CONGRESS/LC-DIG-PGA-05034
Brother Jonathan is the greeter to
the United States first World's Fair and the United States of America's
face and ambassador to the world.
Clark's Spool Cotton,
Gold Medal Awarded, Paris 1878. Lithograph by L. Prang & Co.,
Boston, U.S.A. ©1878 (Uncle Sam or Brother Jonathan?)
Ladies Pocket Calendar
for 1879 on back of trade card.


Clark's Spool Cotton,
Gold Medal Awarded, Paris 1878. Lithograph by L. Prang & Co.,
Boston, U.S.A. ©1878 Uncle Sam (or possibly Brother Jonathan)
with Miss Columbia - Calendar for 1879 on reverse of trade card)
Bell Telephone Communication Calendar
for 1881, Lehman & Bolton, lithographers. Philadelphia, 1880 (Courtesy
of Library
Company of Philadelphia.)
The Library Company of Philadelphia's
description identifies the woman as Liberty with a lyre at her feet
as she looks at an album of U.S. Presidents. The man holding the
album is not identified but this is clearly Brother Jonathan with
his clean shaven face and morphing role with Uncle Sam (which can
be confirmed by his Philadelphia World's Fair of 1876
illustration straddling the towers of the main building).
Not specifically identified but perhaps
the striped pants, the hat, no beard and his activity make this
illustration more likely being the New Englander Brother Jonathan
than Uncle Sam, here seen drinking hard cider from a barrel in advertisement
for Nathaniel W. Appleton, Stationer, Boston, Mass., printed by
Wemple & Kronheim, N.Y. circa 1880's. (Courtesy Dave Cheadle)
Uncle Sam (fuller beard and stars
on hat) advertising Preston & Merrill's Yeast Powder trade card,
printed by Bancroft - Lith - S.F. circa 1880's. (Courtesy Dave Cheadle)
Uncle Sam (or Brother Jonathan?)
Circumstances of the room would seem to fit Brother Jonathan. Frank
Miller's Blacking, Trade card by Mayer, Merkel & Ottmann, Lithographers,
N.Y., circa 1880's.
Uncle Sam (or Brother Jonathan?) offering
Libby's Cooked Corned Beef to England. Trade card circa 1876 Philadelphia
Centennial Exposition. (Courtesy Dave Cheadle Cards)
Uncle Sam promoting Keystone Manufacturing
Co., Agricultural Implements. Mechanical trade card, circa 1890's.

Uncle Sam promoting Henry Mayo &
Co., Boston Minced Codfish, circa 1880's (since he's identified
in the following ad for "Uncle Sam's Reward.")

Uncle Sam promoting Henry Mayo &
Co., Boston Minced Codfish, circa 1880's
Wheatlet Breakfast Food "Eaten
and Enjoyed by all Nations" promoted by Uncle Sam, die-cut
lithograph by Alfred von Cothausen, Milwaukee, Wis., 1899.
Daisy Hose Supporters promoted by
Uncle Sam "for rich and poor" and all nations for Pan-American
Exposition. Trade card by Compton Litho. Co., St. Louis circa 1901.
"Uncle Sam" promoting Oliver
Chilled Plows, South Bend, Ind., circa 1880's, is the morphing version
of Uncle Sam with the flirtatious and rascally look of Brother Jonathan
still apparent.
Uncle Sam promoting the New "Model
Grand" Portable Range. Spicers & Peckham, Providence.,
R.I. trade card by Mayer, Merkel & Ottmann, Lith., New York
circa 1880's. (Disclaimer)
Uncle Sam at the North
Pole promoting Soapine Soap. c. 1880s. "Yankee Notions"
would probably be more in character with Brother Jonathan's New
England regionalism.
Uncle Sam promoting the B. T. Babbitt's
Soap Powder, New York. Trade card by Bufford, circa 1880's.
Uncle Sam (giving advice
to "buy it") promoting Clark's O.N.T. Spool Cotton thread,
circa 1880's.

Uncle Sam (giving advice)
promoting "Empire" Wringer, trade card circa 1880's.


Trade card of Uncle Sam
with stars on his hat and holding a cigar, and parodied as an opportunistic
salesman. Inspired by Oscar Wilde's Tour of United States and the
aesthetic movement, ©1882 by E.B. Duval. (Courtesy the Dave
Cheadle Card Company).
Uncle Sam and Miss Columbia promoting
National Refining Co., Cleveland, O., trade card circa 1880's.
Uncle Sam representing America and
literally supporting Reckitt's Blue Soap, trade card for Wemple
& Company, New York circa 1880's.
Boyish Uncle Sam rising
due to King's Quick Rising Flour, trade card by Shober & Carqueville
Lith.Co, Chicago, circa 1880's.
Uncle Sam giving advice
with an "official proclamation" and the United States of
America coin as part of its logo, Shober & Carqueville.,1886 - Public
domain, via Wikimedia Commons (Courtesy Library
of Congress). (Disclaimer)
"Uncle Sam's Nerve
& Bone Liniment," Orcutt-Killick Litho. Co. Chicago, c. 1880s.
The name says "Uncle Sam" but little else seems connected
with its contemporary popular culture versions of Uncle Sam or Brother
Jonathan.
Thomas Nast, of course, must be mentioned
for the role he played in establishing the identity of Uncle Sam.
The following woodcut from Harper's Weekly in 1882 takes
the most symbolic parts of America (the American Eagle and Uncle
Sam) to create a composite representative of the United States in
negotiating with the British.

Negotiations between the British Lion
(John Bull) and Uncle Sam, Harper's Weekly, 1882
Thomas Nast's "Uncle Sam"
illustrations in Harper's Weekly in the 1870's helped create
an updated Uncle Sam. As Braun described in "Before
America Got Uncle Sam, It Had to Endure Brother Jonathan"
Uncle Sam had long existed
alongside Brother Jonathan, but as a less prominent character.
During the Civil War, American and British cartoonists started
dressing Uncle Sam in the long-tailed blue coat and red-and-white
striped trousers that had been worn by Brother Jonathan. At
the same time, Uncle Sam started to acquire Lincoln-like aspects,
including as a stovepipe hat and a sizable beard. Eventually,
Brother Jonathan faded entirely into the figure of Uncle Sam
who became the stoic, sober, adult version of the American government
that was needed in the wake of the
Nast's illustration of Uncle Sam in
the May 15, 1875 edition of Harper's Weekly exemplifies the
direction of the new Uncle Sam, with Nast even throwing in some
"Yankee Doodle" for Uncle Sam's hat. From here Uncle Sam
would continue to grow in American popular culture and Brother Jonathan
would eventually disappear.

"Another Feather in Yankee Doodle's
Hat," by Thomas Nast, Harper's Weekly, May 15, 1875
Uncle Sam and Columbia
Host the 1893 Chicago World's Fair
In 1893 Uncle Sam and
Miss Columbia were the faces who represented the United States welcoming
the people of the world to Chicago.

Columbia Advertising
for Jas. S. Kirk & Co. Soap Makers, Chicago, Trade card, 1893

1893 World's Columbian
Exposition Souvenir Booklet - Kingsford's Oswego Starch. Lithograph
by Forbes Co., Boston (Disclaimer)

1893 Liberty Head Gold
Coin

Uncle Sam and Columbia
Awakening from a Midsummer Night's Dream, by Victor Gillam, Judge,
1893
Columbia 1872
""Columbia as the Spirit
of the Frontier, carrying telegraph lines across the Western frontier
to fulfill manifest destiny."
American Progress by John Gast,
1872 (Courtesy Library of Congress)

Phonographia
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