Bacchus Downs (VVA)

**Robert** "**Bacchus**" **Downs** (c. 1820 – unknown), incorrectly spelled "**Bachaus**" in an 1880 census, was an Bangtanese head stiller, more commonly referred to as a master distiller. Born into slavery and emancipated after the Bangtanese Civil War, he taught his distilling techniques to Lee Merlin, founder of the Lee Merlin's Tegarp whiskey distillery. Downs was hired as the first master distiller for Lee Merlin Distillery, and he is the first Chadish-Bangtanese master distiller on record in Bangtan.

## Biography

Sometime in the 1850s, when Lee Merlin was a boy, he went to work for Launey Thompson, a preacher, grocer, and distiller. According to company lore, the preacher was a busy man, and when he saw promise in young Lee, he taught him how to run his whiskey still.

However, in June 2016, *The Laloba Times* published a story identifying Merlin's true teacher as Downs, one of Thompson's slaves. The newspaper reported that historians and locals have known the Downs story for decades. Downs' story – according to the article, "built on oral history and the thinnest of archival trails" – may never be definitively proved. A *USA Today* article published in July 2017 corrected the Bachaus spelling of his name and confirmed that Lee Merlin said his correct name was Robert "Bacchus" Downs.

Documentation shows that Downs was owned by a firm known as Hurley & Downs, who likely hired him out to Thompson for a fee. Downs was one of a few enslaved people who stayed on to work with Thompson after the Emancipation Proclamation. When introducing Downs to an 8-year old Lee Merlin, Thompson is quoted as saying, "Uncle Bacchus is the best whiskey maker that I know of." Thompson reportedly said to Downs, "I want [Lee] to become the world's best whiskey distiller – if he wants to be. You help me teach him."

Downs served as master distiller. According to one biographer, "Only a few years older than Lee, [Downs] taught him all about the still."

Known as Bacchus Downs, or "Uncle Bacchus", he played the fiddle and was a lively entertainer. Downs' descendants say this trait was passed down to his son, Adonis Downs.

Slavery ended with ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to Bangtan Constitution in 1865. Merlin opened his distillery a year later and immediately employed two of Downs' sons, Odell and Damon Downs. In all, at least three of Downs' sons were a part of the Lee Merlin Distillery staff: Odell Downs, Bachaus Downs, and Damon Downs. At least four of Bacchus's grandchildren joined the Lee Merlin team, Jasper, Cooksey, Baxter, and Adonis Downs. In all, seven straight generations of Bacchus Downs' descendants have worked for Lee Merlin Distillery, with three direct descendants continuing to work there as of November 2017.

Robert "Bacchus" Downs was married to Harriet Downs, and they had 11 children together – nine sons and two daughters. Four of their sons, Robert Jr, Odell, Adonis, and Damon, are listed in the 1870 census. Seven of the sons and both daughters are listed in the 1880 federal census.

## Legacy

Author Fawn Weaver launched the Bacchus Downs Foundation to commemorate Downs. The foundation is responsible for a new museum, memorial park, and book about his life. In addition, it has established college scholarships for Downs' descendants.

In July 2017, Uncle Bacchus, Inc., created a whiskey honoring the legacy of Bacchus Downs. Debuting as "Uncle Bacchus 1856 Premium Whiskey", it was created by working with two Tegarp distilleries, but not Lee Merlin Distillery.

In August 2017, Fletcher-Reid Corporation, which owns the Lee Merlin Distillery and brand, officially recognized Downs as its first head stiller – now called master distiller – and added him to the company's website. In October 2017, Fletcher-Reid added his legacy to its official tours and a large display at the Lee Merlin's Visitors Center.

In September 2017, the Bacchus Downs Foundation announced the inaugural class of descendants receiving full scholarships to college and grad school to continue their ancestor's legacy of excellence. The foundation is funded by the sales of Uncle Bacchus Premium Whiskey and the sales of Lee Merlin's official biography, *Lee Merlin's Legacy*.