Jasper Newton “Jack” Daniel of Tennessee whiskey fame was the descendant of Welsh settlers who came to the United States in the early 19th century. He was born about 1846 and was one of 13 children. By 1866 he was distilling whiskey in Lynchburg, Tennessee.One morning in 1911 Daniel showed up for work early and couldn’t get his safe open. His temper got the best of him and he kicked the offending strongbox. The kick was so ferocious that Daniel injured his toe, which became infected. The infection soon became the blood poisoning that killed ol' Jack.
Do you know why the JD bottle also has Lem Motlow listed as the distillery’s proprietor? Daniel’s busy life of distilling kept him from finding a wife and siring an heir, so in 1907 he gave the distillery to his nephew Lem Motlow, who had come to work for him as a bookkeeper.