Jack Daniel
Encyclopedia
Jasper Newton "Jack" Daniel (September 5, 1846 – October 10, 1911) was an American
distiller and the founder of Jack Daniel's
Tennessee whiskey
distillery
.
in the late 18th century. His grandfather Joseph “Job” Daniel was born in Wales
, while his grandmother, Elizabeth Calaway, was born in Scotland
. He was of Welsh
, English
, Scots-Irish and Scottish
descent.
According to one source, he was born in January 1849. However, the Brown-Forman Corporation
, current producer of the Jack Daniel's brand, says that it is customary to celebrate his birthday in September. His mother died shortly after his birth, most likely due to complications from the childbirth. He was the youngest of his parents' 10 children, and on June 26, 1851, his father remarried and then had another three children with his stepmother Matilda Vanzant.
The company that now owns the distillery claims that it was first licensed in 1866. However, in the 2004 biography Blood & Whiskey: The Life and Times of Jack Daniel author
Peter Krass maintains that land and deed records show that the distillery was actually not founded until 1875.
Since Daniel never married and did not have any children, he took his favorite nephew, Lem Motlow, under his wing. Motlow had a head for numbers and was soon doing all the distillery's bookkeeping. In 1907, due to failing health, Daniel gave the distillery to his nephew.
Daniel died from blood poisoning at Lynchburg in 1911. The infection allegedly set up originally in a toe, which Daniel injured in kicking his safe in anger when he could not get it open early one morning at work — he had always had trouble remembering the combination. His last words were "One last drink, please". This incident was the subject of a marketing poster used on the London Underground
in January 2006, with the line "Moral: Never go to work early." A common joke that is told during the tour of the distillery is that all Jack had to do to cure his infection was to dip his toe in a glass of his own whiskey to clean it.
His death was portrayed on Spike Television's 1000 Ways To Die
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
distiller and the founder of Jack Daniel's
Jack Daniel's
Jack Daniel's is a brand of sour mash Tennessee whiskey that is among the world's best-selling liquors. It is known for its square bottles and black label. As of November, 2007, one blogger was claiming that it was the best-selling whiskey in the world. It is produced in Lynchburg, Tennessee by...
Tennessee whiskey
Tennessee whiskey
Tennessee whiskey is Straight Bourbon Whiskey produced in the state of Tennessee. This definition is legally established under the North American Free Trade Agreement and at least one other international trade agreement that require that Tennessee whiskey be "a straight Bourbon Whiskey authorized...
distillery
Distillation
Distillation is a method of separating mixtures based on differences in volatilities of components in a boiling liquid mixture. Distillation is a unit operation, or a physical separation process, and not a chemical reaction....
.
Biography
Daniel was the youngest of ten children born to Calaway and Lucinda (née Cook) Daniel. Jack Daniel's paternal grandparents immigrated to AmericaUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the late 18th century. His grandfather Joseph “Job” Daniel was born in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, while his grandmother, Elizabeth Calaway, was born in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. He was of Welsh
Welsh people
The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...
, English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
, Scots-Irish and Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
descent.
According to one source, he was born in January 1849. However, the Brown-Forman Corporation
Brown-Forman Corporation
The Brown-Forman Corporation is one of the largest American-owned companies in the spirits and wine business.Some well-known brands of the corporation include Jack Daniel's, Southern Comfort, Finlandia Vodka, Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Canadian Mist, Early Times, Old Forester, and Korbel champagne.-...
, current producer of the Jack Daniel's brand, says that it is customary to celebrate his birthday in September. His mother died shortly after his birth, most likely due to complications from the childbirth. He was the youngest of his parents' 10 children, and on June 26, 1851, his father remarried and then had another three children with his stepmother Matilda Vanzant.
The company that now owns the distillery claims that it was first licensed in 1866. However, in the 2004 biography Blood & Whiskey: The Life and Times of Jack Daniel author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
Peter Krass maintains that land and deed records show that the distillery was actually not founded until 1875.
Since Daniel never married and did not have any children, he took his favorite nephew, Lem Motlow, under his wing. Motlow had a head for numbers and was soon doing all the distillery's bookkeeping. In 1907, due to failing health, Daniel gave the distillery to his nephew.
Daniel died from blood poisoning at Lynchburg in 1911. The infection allegedly set up originally in a toe, which Daniel injured in kicking his safe in anger when he could not get it open early one morning at work — he had always had trouble remembering the combination. His last words were "One last drink, please". This incident was the subject of a marketing poster used on the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
in January 2006, with the line "Moral: Never go to work early." A common joke that is told during the tour of the distillery is that all Jack had to do to cure his infection was to dip his toe in a glass of his own whiskey to clean it.
His death was portrayed on Spike Television's 1000 Ways To Die
1000 Ways to Die
1000 Ways to Die is a docufiction anthology television series that premiered on May 14, 2008 on Spike. The program recreates unusual supposed deaths and debunked urban legends and includes interviews with experts who describe the science behind each death...
.