The earliest I found of the feather story was  but I think I found it by accident I wasnt even looking for that so it may go back way further  Still thats still almost  years from the purported birth of the cocktail which is mentioned  years before that by shakespear in Romeo in Juliet death cocktail He died in  so we know the term was in use then  Dont believe me see it for yourself but what do I know im not expert or even valuable enough to contribute without being reverted