Rosy Glow – Nathan Green

By

Andrew DeMarco

February is Black History Month and this year I thought I would tell the story of Nathan Green whose story was lost in time according to a site dedicated to him. I first learned about Mr. Green when out to lunch with the Romeos (Retired Old Men Eating Out). One of the Romeos, Bob McCaffrey asked the bartender if he had Uncle Nearest whiskey. Unfortunately, they did not and I asked Bob about the whiskey. He told me it was a bourbon / Tennessee Whiskey and this immediately piqued my interest since I do enjoy a good glass of both now and then. I have tried many high-end bourbons and I had to admit I had never heard of Uncle Nearest. Bob proceeded to give me a brief history and again my interest was piqued and I made sure to learn more. Uncle Nearest’s story is remarkable and I have no doubt truly one of the most forgotten.

Nathan “Nearest” Green was born in Maryland in 1820 and it is not clear if he was born into slavery or later became a slave. It was sometime later that he began to work on a farm owned by a country preacher and distiller in Lincoln County Tennessee. Nathan became an able distiller and was adept at a process called sugar maple charcoal filtering which gave the whiskey a unique smoothness. At this time, on the preacher’s farm was a young “white chore boy” who worked on the farm and did any chore that needed to be done. While doing his work, he noticed that there was always smoke coming from the hollow on the property and a lot of activity going on in that area but was not allowed to go into that area. Finally, after some time, the preacher brought the young boy into the hollow and introduced the young boy to Nathan as Uncle Nearest.  The preacher then asked Uncle Nearest to teach the young boy everything that he knew about distilling. Uncle Nearest took the young boy under his wing and did as the preacher asked.

Over time, the young white chore boy started his own whiskey distilling business and moved from the property taking his business with him. He asked Uncle Nearest to join him but at this point, Uncle Nearest because of his knowledge and talent had become one of the wealthiest men in the area and had retired and did not go to the new distillery. Nearest’s sons Lewis, Eli and George all continued the tradition of making whiskey and went to work with the young man. Nearest’s grandsons, Charlie and Ott also went to work for the new distillery. That young white boy, who became a brilliant businessman, went on to be known as one of the most famous whiskey makers in the world; his legal name was Jasper Newton, many called him Uncle Jack but the rest of the world knows him as Jack Daniel. That’s right the same Jack Daniel whose whiskey many now enjoy.

Due to recent interest in Uncle Nearest’s story a foundation has been established to keep his story alive and they purchased the land he first established his distillery on and are now in the process of building a new one. The new distillery will continue the traditions of Uncle Nearest’s whiskey making as well as educate new distillers in their craft. Here are two quotes from one of the foundation’s founders that are very fitting:

“Here was this incredible story of a slave who was the first African-American master distiller on record in the United States, who taught one of the world’s most recognizable men and then following slavery became the first master distiller for what is now one of the top whiskey brands in the world,”

“Nearest Green’s triumph over his original circumstances was remarkable and his journey from slavery to one of the wealthiest African-Americans in the area was as much about his spirit of forgiveness and grace as it was about his legacy of excellence.”

So, as we celebrate Black History Month, I lift a glass of Uncle Nearest’s fine whiskey and toast his many accomplishments. I have no doubt that his whiskey will give me that feeling that Cousin Bob would call that…..Rosy Glow.

N.B.

To learn more about Uncle Nearest click on the link below.

https://nearestgreen.org/