Yes ,he was this symbol of the united states with a long white beard ,wearing striped trousers and top ,hat was a meat packer from New York state. uncle Sam was Samuel Wilson, born in Arlington , Massachusetts in 1766.at the age of eight , he was a drummer boy in the American Revolution .Later in life he moved to New York and opened meatpacking company he was a good and caring employer and became affectionately known as uncle Sam-Sam Wilson sold meat to the army , and he wrote the letters us on the crates. this meant united states but this abbreviation was not yet common .one day a company worker was asked what the letters us stood for. he was not sure ,and wrongly said that perhaps the letters stood for his employer, uncle Sam. Nevertheless, the mistake continued .soon soldiers started referring to all military goods as coming from Uncle Sam .they even saw themselves as Uncle Sam men.