LYNCHBURG, TN AND DISTILLERY

1850, Jasper Newton "Jack" Daniels was on of thirteen children born. At a young age, Mr. Daniel’s mother died and his father remarried. With little attention received from family--because of his other siblings--Mr. Daniel’s decided to live with his neighbor (a friend of the families), Mr. Felix Waggoner.

Mr. Waggoner introduced Mr. Daniel’s to a man named, Mr. Dan Calls, when he was seven-years-old. Mr. Call ( a preacher and bootlegger), hired Mr. Daniels to work in his store. Then, Mr. Daniel’s career began!

Jack Daniel’s was particularly interested in Making whiskey, that he proved to Dan Call’s his determination to work hard, and eventually, Mr. Call made Mr. Daniels his full partner.

After awhile, Mr. Call found himself needing to give his ministry his full undivided attention and sold his business to Mr. Daniels when he was thirteen.

Jack Daniel’s--determined to make the best whiskey--made it from corn, rye and barley malt. Although, traditionally used in Lincoln County, he insisted to use an, "Old Mellowing Process," for smoothing whisky after it came from the still.

As word spread throughout the town about his whisky. Jack Daniel’s had to find an abundant source of limestone water. From a spring in a hollow near Lynchburg, Mr. Daniel’s found a cave with iron free water source that flowed all the time. With this source of water and special charcoal mellowing process, helped Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey apart from any others. On his 21st birthday, Mr. Daniel’s went out into the city and bought a knee-length frock coat and a broad-brimmed planter’s hat that became his daily uniform. Acquaintance of his say, "Once he got something the way he liked it, he never changed it."

1866, Jack Daniel Distillery, became the first registered distillery in America after the Federal government began to regulate and tax all whiskey making operations.

Although he never married nor had children himself, he took his favorite nephew, Lem Motlow, under his wing. Because of Lem’s ability with numbers, Mr. Daniel’s gave his nephew the job as a bookkeeper for the distillery.

1904, Mr. Daniel entered his Old No. 7 Tennessee sipping whisky at a World’s Fair held in St. Louis, Missouri. Out of 20 whiskeys around the world, his was the only one to be awarded the "World’s Fair Gold Medal," and to honored as the world’s best whiskey.

Approximately, between the years 1905 to 1911, Jack Daniel’s came to work early and went to get into his safe. Forgetting the combination code, he kick the safe out of anger and broke his toe and ended up with a mild limp. An infection settled and his health began to fall, Mr. Daniel’s gave the distillery to his nephew, Lem, and his cousin, Dick Daniel. Dick Daniel then decided to sell his share to Lem. The blood poising from the incident of kicking his safe, Mr. Daniel’s health had worsened and later died.

Years later after the death of Jack Daniel’s, the Prohibition closed all distilleries and Lem went into the mule business and he started a mule action. Lynchburg because one of the largest mule trading center in the South, thriving until after World War I.

After the Prohibition canceled, Lem restarted the business again at the Lynchburg Distillery until 1942, when the government banned all whiskey in 1946. Lem waited to restart the business again until after 1947 when restriction was canceled.

After his death in 1947, Reagor, Robert, Daniel Evans (also known as Hap), and Connor--Lem’s four son’s--was passed the business.

Mr. Jack Daniel’s slogan, that is still used today, is, "every day we make it, we’ll make it the best we can."

Reagor, who was the first born son and General Manager, implied the position of President.

Times began to change and taxes began changing too. 1950s, a tax of ten dollars for each gallon of whiskey was to be paid up front before selling. The Motlow brother’s decided to change the financial structure of the distillery and sold it to the Brown-Forman Company of Louisville, Kentucky in 1956. Even with this happening, the Brown-Forman Company still continued making the Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey the same way. Still today, the jack Daniel Distillery is being made the same way it was in 1866. And it’s still today, the sole distillery.

1783, after the Revolutionary War, North Carolina established its Military Reservation encompassing the Cumberland settlements. North Carolina relinquished its claims to it western lands and on May 26, 1790, what we now call Tennessee, became the "Territory of the United States South of the River Ohio." June 1, 1796, Tennessee became a state taking its name from a preexisting county.

Lynchburg, TN has a population of 361 and was established in 1866. It is the not only the home of Jack Daniel’s Distillery, but also holds a lot of memories of past times.

Lynchburg, on Hwy 55, is most known for the eye-catching greenery in Tennessee. It is also the seat of Moore County.

On the square--built in 1883 by SLP Garrett--stands a stunning Court House with walls twenty inches thick, made of brick and held together with sand and lime.

Around the square are many different shops and restaurants where you can find many Jack Daniels collectibles, handicrafts of all kinds, to antiques from the Civil War. Serving soups, sandwiches and lemonade, the White Rabbit Saloon on the courthouse square is still open for business. Also, you might meet the "Town Dog".

Formed on, December 14, 1871 from the counties of Bedford, Franklin and Lincoln, became Moore County and named in honor of Major General William Moore, a Kentuckian who lived in Tennessee in 1808.

Because of the rolling hills and plentiful springs, many pioneers moved to this area from many different states, especially from North Carolina. Some that settled here migrated south to Alabama.

Thomas Roundtree, the original proprietor of the lands, laid out the towns in 1818. December of 1883, a fire broke out and consumed a large portion of the town.

1893, a Jail construction Committee was appointed by the County Court to obtain a lot on main street and the facility operate until the construction was completed on the new Moore County Jail in 1990. In 1991, the old jail was turned into a museum after completion of the new one.

Built in 1810 was the Ledford’s Mill and a water wheel Mill which, are located at the head waters of Shipman’s Creek near Tullahoma. Changing hands several time, Sanford V. Ledford came to Tennessee from working in the mines in Colorado. Buying the mill in June 30, 1875 and 1,015 acres of land. Mr. Dennis and Mrs. Kathleen Depert bought the mill and moved east from their home off the coast of Washington State on an island in Puget Sound.’

March of 1996, the Depert’s reopened Ledford Mill as a shop for antiques, collectible and folk art. With no plans to reopen the mill to grind corn, they’re intention on keeping all the parts of the mill still intact for the historical interest of the mill. Although, they are converting the mill into a bed and breakfast inn with three special accommodations all having access to the gardens, waterfall and creek. The main will be the lobby with kitchen facilities, a private dining area and a small combination gift shop and museum.

By Michelle Korgis-Fitzpatrick copyright August 2002

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