Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1875-04-14
BOURBON WHISKY.
How the Name Originate ed and Who First
OisfEIIcd II.


How the Name Original ed and Who First
Distilled 1t.
It was during the latter part of Wash
ington's last administration that the
noted whisky rebellion Of Pennsylvania
took place. At that time the mountain
recesses of the Alleghanies, west OF
what is now known as the Cumberland
Valley, was the great whisky district of
the country. 1t was very sparsely set
tied. All the grains that were grown,
save scant supply of provender for
the live stock and food for the inhabi-
tants, were distilled into whisky upon
what is now known as the ''sour mash,
handmade, copper-distilled plan. :"
Soon large demand for these WHISTLES
sprang up in Philadelphia and Balti-
more, and the supply being limited, a
"ring" was formed, and "corner"
made, and the goods put up at high
figures.
The National Government, then as
now, was hard pressed for revenue.
Reputation was then staring it in the
face, and it was without money ct home
or credit abroad. A happy thought
struck the Congressional delegation
from New England. 1t was-as it would
not tax their constituents dollar-to
levy a tax of $500 on each STILL that was
used for manufacturing spirits. Their
ideas were enacted into laws. The fol-
lowing season revenue officers were sent
out from Washington to assess and col
lect the tax. The distillers previously
met, formed union, and upon the ar
rival of the officers defied them to put
! 4 l,o; l., ,rc fo,.oo Tho off oaro ,,,,o,,
their arrival in the insurrectionary dis
trict, seeing they could not execute the
aw, and fearing the loss of their lives,
eturned in haste to Washington.
BY this time the season was far ad-
vanced, and it was decided on the part
of authorities to wait until the beginning
of the next season before again attempt
ing to enforce the collection of tax The
following fall the officials, backed up
then, as now, by the ever-ready
"troops," set out on their mission again.
They arrived at the anticipated scenes
of their trouble in due time, but they
met with an unexpected disappoint-
ment The distillers had decided that
there was to be no more distillation I'M
til the law was repealed. The officers,
after having marched up the hill, again
marched down. Thus ended the re-
Eellion.
Many of the old frontier men, tired
of being harrassed in front by the gov
erpment, and in the rear by the Indians,
determined to plunge boldly into the then
unexplored wilderness beyond the
mountains. Among this number was a
man named Shawhan. He had large
family, and was we'll to do, and pack
ing everything that he had that nee
essary for such lifelong expedition
into wagon, he set across the noun
tains. He took with him the cause of
his removal, the ''still." Two months
later (this was about the fall Of 1866 he
and his family, consisting Of his wife
and several children, were busily engag
ed in Bourbon county, Ky, on Town
send Greek, erecting temporary cabins
to shelter them during the winter. The
country was full of wild animals, and
still wilder Indians. It was twenty mile.
to the nearest fort.
By tact and Skill they avoided coming
into contact with the savages. When
the long winter in the wilderness was
over, they, having during the meantime
cleared away few acres, planted q
patch of corn. An abundant harvest
greeted them for their labor. The
''stil" having been erected it was put
into operation, and then it was that the
first whisky ever manufactured in Ken
lucky, or in the Mississippi Valley, oc-
Cured.
In Pennsylvania they called whisky
A." Monongahela, it being called after
the county in which it was manutac-
tured. Shawhan following the same
example, called the whisky made by
him after the county in which his new
home was situated, Bourbon.
The third year out the father died,
and then it devolved upon his son
Joseph to carry on the business. He
oeing industrious, their little farm was
soon extended and assumed respectable
size. The excellence of his WHISTLES
soon gave them wide reputation, and
the large emigration kept up a heavier
demand than could be supplied. He,
though, bent his energies to his work,
increased his capacities as distiller,
and Bourbon" soon became house
hold word Joseph Shawhan died re-
Gently at the age Of IS. He left property
valued at upward Of a quarter Of mil
lion of dollars.
Ulster 0Yercoats.
1t has been the mad ambition of many