Samuel Wilson or “Uncle Sam” (1766-1854) grew up in Mason and the house in which he lived still stands on Valley Road in Mason. He became famous for his meat packing company in Troy, NY which supplied meat to the army during the War of 1812. He stamped his barrels with “US” for United States, but people began to say “That’s Uncle Sam!” (In those days the term “Uncle” was a term of endearment.) After making his fortune in Troy, he returned to Mason where he married his childhood sweetheart, Elizabeth “Betsey” Mann. Her father, Capt. Benjamin Mann led 26 men from Mason to the Battle of Bunker Hill.