The spirits of Seventy Six

We have no idea what the whiskey distilleries at Seventy Six
looked like, so we're using this illustration from pngtree.com.

By David M. Cross

Something not generally well known in Clinton County is its history of distilling, and particularly in the community of Seventy Six.

Before Prohibition, whiskey was legally made in every community in Clinton County. Usually, in this part of the country, brandy was the alcoholic beverage produced. Brandy is alcohol distilled from fermented fruit juice, in this area usually apples or blackberries.

Stills were licensed by the federal government, and an inspector would come around every so often to inspect the stored whiskey and gauge the proof. These men were called “storekeepers and gaugers” and these were prized federal patronage appointees. A.B. Parrigin and Judge S.G. Smith were among those holding this position. (Full disclosure: My grandfather Al Cross operated a government-licensed still for several years in the Beaty community.)

When locals were arrested for violating federal tax laws (that’s why federal agents were called “revenuers”) they would be taken to an appointed United States commissioner, who would determine whether the case would go on to U.S. District Court, generally in Bowling Green. Locally, Judge J.A. Perkins, who has numerous descendants in Clinton County, was the commissioner for several years under Republican administrations.

William Sloan, known as "Wild Bill" locally, was for many years a deputy U.S. marshal who would form posses to assist revenue agents when they were seeking out local stills. Wild Bill had quite a reputation of his own, on both sides of the law. He was, to say the least, a very colorful character, as was his son-in-law. J.A. “Dean” Tompkins, sometimes an attorney and sometimes a defendant in the local courts. They, too, have numerous descendants remaining in the county.

According to various records that we can find, these distillers operated in the Seventy Six area:

    W.H. Hammons & John Ryan

    John Ryan: This still was over the hill behind Wayne Ryan's house. They made apple and blackberry brandy and there was a very large orchard on the Ryan farm furnishing the apples.

    T.L. Davis: Bobby Johnson states that a Tom Davis distillery was located west of and over the hill from the Bobby Reneau house at the junction of KY 734 and KY 1266.

    J.A. Warinner: The Warinners operated a large store at Seventy Six.

    Walter Neathery, McKinley & Neathery, Tilford (Til) Neathery, Jarvis & Lawrence, William Prince & J.M. Davis: In 1907 Prince's still was seized by authorities. In 1910 Prince leased a tract in Seventy Six to Lewis A. York for distilling for eight years. Prohibition began in January 1920. 

 

We find a published report that the following distillers, having been twice convicted for selling liquor in local-option territory, would be required to give a $500 bond “for their good behavior for the next 12 months": Thomas Lee, Richard McWhorter, Bill Prince, J .M. Davis, and Joe Griffin. These were at Seventy-Six and also at Huntersville, which was a hot spot for distilling and the site of several "line houses," shacks on the Tennessee border where whiskey was sold.