The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1903-01-02
w. C, T. U.COLUMN.
CONDUCTED BY MRS. NJ. L. HOBBS.
From Patriot Phalanx.
JUNGLE SAM BRO. JONATHAN
Speculations as 10 the Origin q Thes,
Sobriqueis.

= Specu'ations as 10 the Or gin q Thes
Sobriquels.
The sale Of the "Wiison Home
stead" at, Mason, n. H., a few day
ago, where was born and reared on
Samuel Wilson, an ann contra cto
in 1872 who is believed TO be th
Original "Uncle SAM" calls imme
date attention to this very pictur
esque sobriquet applied to the gov
ernment OF the United States. Iti
not at all unlikely, however, tha
Ahen those engaged in historical
research run the term down the,
sil, find that neither Samuel vii
,on nor any of his associates in tn,
var Of 1872 had anything to d,
With this term. AT least, that il
the conclusion one comes TO wher
The outcome Of recent study Of
an earlier American nickname,
Brother Jonathan" is considered
The case of "Brother Jonathan
ls easy to get at, since the term has
ceen recently made the subject OF
Extended research by Mr.. Albert
Matthews, OF Boston. Mr.. Mat
lhews, as will be remembered, was
referred to recently as the author OF
an admirable monograph on the
term Indian Summer. The same
painstaking care revealed in the
Indian Summer" study has been
applied to 'Brother Jonathan, ,"
si.h most interesting results, as the
report on the subject by the Colo
nial Society of Massachusetts, shows.
Mr. Matthews takes up first Of all !
what may we'll be called the "Brosh-
sr Jonathan" Legend. This legend
appeared for the first time in the
Norwich (Conn.) Evening Courier
IN Nov. II, 1916, in the shape Of
story supposedly told by an octo-
yenarian, describing how the term
Brother Jonathan came into being.
IN brief, the original account de-
,lares that the term came into pop
ilar use in the American army byI
eason Of habit General Washing
on had, when he got into straits of
aging: "We must consult Broth
r Jo Jonathan' on the subject. I"
Brother Jonathan" being, accord
ng to his account, the W. II known,
var Governor OF Connecticut, Jon I
than Trnmbull.
This is the Trunbull legend I'M =
IS simplest form. 1t apparently q
ad but to be stated to be instantly h
as gospel truth, and it soon {
as viewed as an article of faith by Il
II Connecticut folks, was expanded q
y historians and popular writer's, G
nd finally became the one signal +
Ict that admirers OF Governorrrum- i
ull seemed to feel was worth more .
} posterity than all the real deeds G
this brave revolutionary leader. e
II. Matthews, it need hardly be s
i'd, lays ruthless hands on tbs
rumbull legerd. He shows that
is entitled TO no credence, since II
is modern invention which new
had any contemporary recogni- :,
,n, but sprung fulI-fledged into :, .,
ing in the Norwich Courier sixty
le years after the death Of Trum-
Ill, forty-seven years after the I0'
ath Of Washington, and seventy sc
e years after the period which il s.
pposed to have given it being.
After disposing Of the Trumbull
gend Mr. Matthews shows that the
I'm Jonathan" as it was origin 70
y, came into general use in the T
'olutionary war, that it was first re
piled to Americans as a mildly de- pl
i've epithet by the loyalists and ~
emies cf the revolution, that il kf
$ avoided by Americans them be
yes at first, and that when they IN
use it, after the revolution, they th
piled the term to country bump SIC
!. Gradually, however, the term an
W into popular vogue on both or
es of the Atlantic as an appella- by
n Of the American people, and
N lost, in the minds Of Americans
least, its offensive Significance, as
! took its place with other nation
nicknames in familiar use and bel
pect. Mr.. Matthews gives line
text for his conclusions, and ma
data is most convincing. Hav- tri,
succeeded 80 well with "Indian
inner" and "Blother Jonathan" fs;
is to be hoped ne will take up ,he
ncle SAM" for it is a term that -
ds calculating badly. .-Philadel.
a Press. m "''