America 250: Jack Daniel

In 1866, Jasper Newton “Jack” Daniel established what is widely recognized as the first registered distillery in the United States.

Jasper Newton “Jack” Daniel was the founder of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey. As a young man, he went to live and work on the farm of Reverend Dan Call. There, he learned the art of whiskey making from Call and an enslaved man named Nathan “Nearest” Green. In 1866, Daniel established what is widely recognized as the first registered distillery in the United States. His signature Old No. 7 whiskey is known for its charcoal mellowing process, a key step in Tennessee whiskey production. With no wife or children, Daniel left his distillery to his nephew, Lem Motlow, who continued the business.