Jack Daniel's
Born in 1850 according to his tombstone - although his mother is said to have died in 1849 - Jasper Newton 'Jack' Daniel ran away from home
after the Civil War and was taken in by a preacher/moonshiner named Dan Call. He learned his trade from the reverend and his slave, Nathan Nearest, before becoming the sole owner in 1884. Famous for the 'Old No. 7' brand, it is the original number assigned to the distillery by the goverment for registration. This registration number had to be changed to 16 when the government redrew the district boundaries - but the No. 7 brand stuck. Tennessee was hit harder than most states with Prohibition beginning in 1910 and lasting until 1938 - a full 15 years longer than many other states. Jack Daniel's was eventually purchased by Brown Forman in 1956 and it has grown the brand to be the largest selling American whiskey in the world. Ironically, in Lynchburg county, where the Jack Daniel's distillery is located, the sale of alcohol is still prohibited.
